With A Little Help
by SLynn
Summary: Summer begins with a week in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it.  Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.  Logan/Camille Kendall/Jo
1. Chapter 1

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **As promised, the sequel. I would have begun posting this on Monday, but I've been sidetracked by two other stories I've been working on, one of which will be the end of this series and looks to be gigantic! This is kind of a slow start, and as the summary states, takes place about two months after the last one. Hopefully you like it, and if I don't post daily, I will try and post every other day. Enjoy!

**Chapter 1**

"What can possibly be taking him so long?" James asked, pacing outside the door to the classroom. "And what are you doing?"

His eyes had fallen on Carlos who was literally jumping in place.

"I can't help it," Carlos said with a grin. "We're done! We've got the whole summer without any more books or reports or math or anything! I don't have to think again until September!"

"Yeah," Kendall said, looking far less enthusiastic, "just three months on a tour bus and then straight back to school without stopping."

"Not for another two weeks," Carlos said, the bounce seemingly gone out of him in midair.

"It's going to be so great," James added, smiling wide enough for the three of them. "That is if Logan ever gets done in there."

"He's probably triple checking his answers," Carlos suggested.

"He's probably making Miss Collins grade his exam while he waits," Kendall said.

"Gustavo is going to kill us if we're not at the studio on time," James added, looking back at the door in frustration.

"Relax," Kendall said with a shrug. "It's not like he can fire us now."

"It's not that," James said impatiently. "We've still got a lot to do if we're going to be ready for this."

"If we're not ready now, we're not going to be," Carlos said evenly, with Kendall nodding in agreement.

"We can always improve," James replied, earning outright stares in return. "Well, we can."

"Can what?" Logan asked, having finally come out of the classroom, his arms full of books.

"Finally!" James snapped.

"What's all that?" Kendall asked, ignoring James's outburst.

"This," Logan said, stopping to shove the books into his bag without looking up at any of them. "Nothing. Just, you know... I'm going to take a few correspondence courses over the summer."

"When are you going to have time to do that?" Kendall asked.

"I'll find time," Logan said, shrugging off the question.

"But why..." Carlos began to ask, but James quickly interrupted him.

"Who cares. We've got to go."

"Calm down," Kendall snapped. "We've got plenty of time."

James let out a huff of air in frustration and stalked off in front of them, leading the way out of the Palms with Carlos close at his heels, still all but bursting with excess energy.

"Seriously," Kendall said, hanging back as Logan hoisted his backpack onto his shoulders. "You can't possibly think..."

"I'll get it done," Logan interrupted. "It's only a few extra classes and we're going to have plenty of down time in between cities."

"Yeah, but we're going all across the country. Don't you want to get out and see some of it?"

"What I want is to see myself in a top-ten college in two years. And then medical school. If I don't start applying myself now, that's not going to happen."

"All right," Kendall said, not wanting to argue but highly skeptically that even Logan could pull off that much work given their already full schedule.

They made quick work of getting to the studio after that, largely due to James, who kept hurrying them along. Kelly met them at the entrance with her usual broad smile.

"How'd it go?" she asked, knowing they'd each taken their final exams for the school year.

They all gave varied replies that essentially boiled down to 'good'.

"Great," Kelly said, turning on her heels, the only indication she ever gave that they were to follow, "because if you hadn't have passed, you'd be out of the group."

"What?" Carlos yelped.

"You never said that before," James said almost at the same time.

"I didn't want you to worry," Kelly answered, shrugging it off. "I knew you'd all do your best."

"Yeah, well apparently you haven't met James," Logan returned.

"I do okay," James said defensively. "We can't all be brainiac know-it-alls like you."

"Stop," Kelly said, quickly interfering. "Come on. You've got a lot to do this afternoon, but first, Gustavo wants to see you in his office."

"About?" Kendall asked, throwing a quizzical look at the other guys, as they continued to follow Kelly as she quickly walked down the hall.

"You'll see," Kelly said, knocking once on the door before throwing it open and ushering them inside.

"You wanted to see us," Kendall said, feeling strangely tense, like any minute the rug was going to be swept out from underneath them.

"Sit down," Gustavo barked, which was even more unnerving, since he never asked them to sit in his office.

They all looked, first at one another, and then at Kelly, for some kind of reassurance that Gustavo hadn't maybe gone insane. However, Kelly just smiled and nodded, so they all sat uneasily on the couch and waited.

"There's been a slight change of plans," Gustavo began after a lengthy pause.

"How slight?" James asked anxiously.

"We're not leaving to go on tour in two weeks."

"What?" they all said at once.

"We're leaving tomorrow," Gustavo finished, smiling even.

"Tomorrow?" Kendall asked, the first to recover.

"We're going to Vegas," Kelly said, too excited to contain herself any longer.

"What? Why?" Carlos asked, looking around for some kind of explanation.

"I am so confused right now," Logan muttered. "Why are we going to Vegas? Vegas wasn't on the schedule."

"That's awesome!" James yelled, jumping to his feet.

"No," Carlos said, shaking his head admittedly.

"Why are we going to Vegas?" Logan repeated.

"Tomorrow?" Kendall asked again.

"I thought you guys would be excited," Kelly said, her own good mood deflating.

"I am," James said.

"Griffin pulled some strings and got Big Time Rush a spot in Mandalay Bay's Summer Music Festival next Saturday. They open all their venues to different acts and... why aren't you all as excited about this as James?"

"We're leaving tomorrow?" Kendall said, yet again.

"Next Saturday?" Carlos asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

They all turned to Logan, waiting.

"I'm good now."

"Great," Gustavo said sarcastically. "Now what's wrong with you two?"

"Well, Carlos," James began, but was quickly interrupted.

"Is fine," Carlos said, cutting across the rest of his sentence harshly. "It's fine. Great. Vegas."

"It's going to be fun," Kelly said, trying to reassure them. "I've got the whole trip planned out. You've only got to do about four or five songs on Saturday afternoon. Besides some rehearsals, the rest of the time you'll be free."

"To do what exactly?" Logan asked. "None of us are old enough to do anything in Vegas."

"That's not true," Kelly argued. "You'll see. It's going to be fun."

"See," James said, still bouncing on the balls of his feet. "It's going to be fun, guys. I've got to get home and pack."

"You all have to get home and pack," Kelly amended.

"Does my mom know about this?"

"She does," Kelly answered. "And she's coming with us."

"Why didn't she tell us?" Kendall asked, getting reluctantly to his feet.

"Because it was a surprise," Kelly answered, growing disappointed at their reaction to what she thought was great news. "Now, the tour bus is going to pick you up tomorrow morning at eight. Be ready."

"We will be," James said happily.

Carlos managed a weak smile, Logan's attempt was only a bit better, but Kendall still looked put out by the news.

"So, what happens after this show?" he asked, hanging back in the office to hash it out with Kelly and Gustavo. "Are we going straight on tour or what?"

"You'll have that week off so if you wanted to come back to L.A. or go home first, that's up to you," Kelly answered. "Why?"

"Well, I mean, you kind of sprung this on us. We've got friends here and..."

Kelly smiled and nodded, finally getting it.

"You're worried about your girlfriend," she said.

"Tell her that's just part of the deal," Gustavo said brusquely.

"I've got it covered," Kelly said evenly. "Trust me."

"Really?"

"Have I let you down before?"

"Don't answer that," Gustavo said, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Okay," Kendall said, finally smiling. "If you've got us covered then... okay."

"Eight o'clock," Kelly repeated, her voice sharp. "I mean it. You miss the bus then..."

"You're out," Gustavo barked.

"Got it," Kendall called over his shoulder, jogging to catch up with the rest of the guys, before suddenly stopping and coming back to them in a hurry.

"What now?" Gustavo asked.

"You've got us all covered, right?"

"Yes," Kelly said, nodding and wondering how Kendall would think she'd forget that Logan had a girlfriend as well.

"Just checking," Kendall said, hurrying off again. Confident that Kelly had a plan in place for everything, including Carlos's birthday.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after And So It Goes.

**Notes: **Have I thanked my beta? Thank you, Tripp3235! Also, thanks for the reviews and thanks for reading! Enjoy!

**Chapter 2**

They arrived home to find Mrs. Knight and Katie already packing up their belongings.

"Are you boys excited?" she asked, smiling at them as if she knew they would be.

"So excited," James answered, racing off to the bedroom to begin getting ready.

"Eh," Logan said, shrugging and dropping onto one of the dining room chairs.

"Do we really have to go tomorrow?" Kendall asked, as Carlos flopped onto the couch face first.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Knight asked.

"Well, I kind of thought I'd have another two weeks with Jo before a whole summer away from her," Kendall admitted.

"We're coming back," Mrs. Knight assured him. "I know that still cuts your time with her short, honey, but you're going to see her again before the tour starts."

"I guess," Kendall said, still moping.

"Now," Mrs. Knight said, turning to Logan, "what about you?"

"Well, there is Camille," he started.

"Of course," Mrs. Knight said politely.

"But I was also planning on using these next couple of weeks to get ahead on my summer courses."

"You're in summer school?" she asked incredulously.

"He put himself in summer school," Kendall corrected.

"It's not summer school," Logan said, becoming irritated. "I'm just taking a few extra classes to try and get ahead."

"Over the summer," Kendall added with a smug smile.

"How many classes?" Mrs. Knight, sounding concerned.

"Just... just a few."

"Two?"

"Maybe four or five," he admitted.

"Five?" Kendall asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Logan, don't you think that's a bit too much work?" Mrs. Knight asked, her face every bit as skeptical as her son's.

"I'll be fine," Logan argued, taking out his laptop and opening up a complex looking calendar and showing it to them. "Really. Look, I've made a schedule. I've mapped out my whole summer and exactly how I'm going to spend all my time. All I have to do is follow it and it's going to be a piece of cake."

"Is the Vegas trip on that schedule of yours?" Kendall asked.

"No," Logan said, no longer looking as confident as before. "But I'm sure I can fit it in here and - "

Everyone except Logan jumped as a very loud beep emitted from his phone.

"What was that?" Carlos asked from his spot still on the couch.

"Oh," Logan explained, "you see, I've synced up my phone to my laptop's calendar so that it will send a text to me when it's time to start a new activity."

Carlos shook his head and dropped his face back into the cushions of the couch, while Kendall and his mother looked at one another in disbelief.

"I can do this," Logan said adamantly.

"Okay," Mrs. Knight replied, smiling at him as reassuringly as she could. "So, that's you two explained. What's wrong with you, Carlos?"

"Mom," Kendall said quietly, "the concert is on next Saturday."

"Oh," Mrs. Knight exclaimed, finally putting it together. "Your birthday. Carlos, I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll still have a lot of fun."

"We were going to go to Universal Studios," Carlos whined. Disneyland had been his first choice, but Katie had beat him to it two weeks ago for her eleventh birthday.

"We can go another time," she promised him.

"Yeah," Kendall added. "Like, when we come back."

"Oh, no," Mrs. Knight said quickly. "I don't think there will be time before the tour."

"Why not?" her son asked.

"There just won't be," was her evasive reply. "Shouldn't you boys be packing?"

"James has probably started for all of us," Logan said, already reading one of his new text books.

"Well, go and help him," she urged, getting them all to their feet and ushering them off to their rooms.

Kendall was the first done, despite James's head start. They were only taking clothes, so he just threw everything into a bag and called it a day. James spent most of his time agonizing over exactly what to bring and Carlos was moving so slowly that it appeared as if he'd never get done. Logan hadn't even begun, but instead crawled up to his bunk and continued to read while attempting to ignore everyone else.

"Hey," Katie said from the doorway, catching all of their attention. "Mom says to hurry up. She's taking us out to dinner tonight." Before Kendall could protest, she rolled her eyes and added, "Jo and Camille are coming too."

Just as James and Carlos finished and after Kendall had wandered off to help him mom, Logan finally got started.

"You're going to be in trouble," James sang at him with a smile as he left the room.

"I'll help," Carlos offered.

"Thanks," Logan said as he started to sort through his things.

Unlike James, Logan wasn't picky about what he brought, he was just highly organized so he usually ended up taking twice as long as anyone else to simply arrange this things. It wasn't long before Mrs. Knight was in the doorway, hurrying them along.

To Logan's surprise, Camille and Jo were already waiting in the living room. He half wondered why someone hadn't told him, but then quickly surmised that they had just arrived as they were both standing next to Kendall and James and laughing at something that must have been funny. Camille looked over and smiled at him and Logan felt that familiar sense of weightlessness he'd begun associating with her. Logan had stuck to his plan of just seeing where things went between them, and so far, it had been mostly great. They had their occasional fights, but nothing serious and he still felt as strongly as he ever had about her.

"Ready?" Mrs. Knight asked, looking around the room that was suddenly crowded.

Dinner turned out to be a lot of fun. James's mood had mellowed out and Carlos's had improved, making the group closer to normal than before they'd left the Palms. Kendall spent most of his time engaged in conversation with Jo, but Logan and Camille weren't as exclusive, and talked animatedly to everyone. Once the meal was over they returned to the Palms where Mrs. Knight set a curfew of ten since they had an early start the next morning.

Kendall and Jo quickly disappeared leaving the rest of them behind. Katie was the next to go, she still didn't like to hang out with Logan while Camille was around, so she faked a yawn and headed upstairs. For awhile the four of them left sat talking, occasionally joined by one or two of their friends, but mostly keeping one another company.

"Let's go for a walk," Camille said, smiling and pulling Logan up by the hand.

"Something wrong?" he asked once they were out of earshot of everyone else, slowly drifting off towards the park.

"No," she said shortly.

"Well, okay," Logan said with a small laugh.

"I just wanted to be alone with you for awhile," she shrugged, squeezing his hand tighter within her own. "We're not alone a lot anymore and you are going away for the whole summer. Aren't you going to miss me?"

"Of course I am," Logan said truthfully. "I'm going to miss you a lot."

"Good," Camille said, smiling brightly as she sat in one of the park's swings.

Logan laughed at her expression before going to stand behind her and giving her a little push that got her to laugh as well as her feet flew out from beneath her.

"Because you'd better not forget about me," Camille said, still laughing as he pushed her higher. "I know it'll be hard to do, what with thousands of girls screaming for you each night."

"I doubt that's going to happen," Logan said.

"Oh, you wait," Camille returned, dragging her feet so that her swing came to a skidding halt. "There will be girls everywhere."

"Everywhere?" he asked with mock interest.

"Stop it," she laughed, getting to her feet and turning to face him.

"You brought it up," he laughed.

Camille's smile tightened as she suddenly found herself blinking back tears. She stepped gracefully over the swing and put her hands on his shoulders.

"I'm really going to miss you," she managed, as his arms wound their way around her waist and pulled her closer.

Logan pressed his forehead to hers as Camille's hands came to rest on the back of his neck; her fingers drawing delicate circles just below his hairline.

"You don't have to worry about other girls or anything like that," Logan said quietly. "Trust me, I won't have time. And I wouldn't want anyone but you. I love you, Camille, and -"

The rest of his words were cut off by the fierce kiss Camille had pulled him into. They remained locked in a tight embrace for several minutes, before finally breaking apart more than a little breathless.

"Wow," he said softly and she giggled, a bit embarrassed and more than a little red.

"We'd, um... we'd better get going," Camille said, backing away and bumping into the swing behind her. "You're supposed to be back home soon and..."

"Yeah," he agreed, a little confused by her reaction, but taking her hand and leading the way back to the Palms.

They walked her back to her apartment in near silence where, upon arriving, they said a quick goodbye, followed by a much shorter kiss at her door, and he then made his way back up to his own place.

"You're home early," Mrs. Knight commented, checking the clock and seeing it was just after nine.

Logan kind of shrugged, temporarily pushing Camille's odd behavior out of his mind as he noticed Carlos was also back and sitting at the bottom of the swirly slide.

"I'm going to miss this slide," Carlos said as soon as he spotted Logan headed his way.

"You'll see it again next week," Logan said.

"Yeah, but it'll be different then. I'll be sixteen. What if I outgrow it?"

"In a week?" Logan asked, trying hard to keep a straight face.

"Sooner or later I'm going to have to outgrow all of this stuff," Carlos said, sounding sad.

"Says who?"

"No one, but... I don't know. Don't you think it might be a little immature?"

"Who called you immature?" Logan asked, cutting right to the heart of the matter.

"No one," Carlos insisted.

"Who?"

"Okay, I was talking with the Jennifers and..."

"And that's your problem right there," Logan interrupted, angry on Carlos's behalf. "Between the three of them they have one brain and no sense of humor."

Carlos laughed.

"Who cares what they say," Logan continued, shrugging them off.

"You don't think they might be right about me?"

"No," Logan answered immediately.

Carlos didn't look convinced.

"What else did they say?" Logan asked, pulling a chair over and taking a seat in front of him.

"They said that I'd never get a girlfriend until I started acting my age."

"They don't know what their talking about."

"Well," Carlos argued. "They are girls so they kind of do."

"Girls are..." Logan said, pausing to consider his own strange night, before finishing with, "...complicated."

Carlos nodded, sensing something more behind Logan's statement, but let it drop.

"Besides, I didn't think you wanted a girlfriend just yet," Logan continued.

"I don't know," Carlos said with a sigh. "I do and then..."

"Complicated," Logan repeated.

"Yeah."

"Well, the only thing I can tell you is that no one wants a fake," Logan said, getting up and stretching. "You shouldn't have to be someone you're not."

"I know," Carlos admitted.

"And you shouldn't have to give up the things you love, even if they are swirly slides."

"You're right," Carlos said, smiling and getting to his feet, feeling marginally better. "Thanks."

"Besides, swirly slides are awesome."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after And So It Goes.

**Notes: **Sorry for the delay. If I don't get around to posting another chapter today, then I definately will tomorrow. Enjoy!

**Chapter 3**

The next morning Logan's phone began beeping promptly at five o'clock. He literally fell out of bed and stumbled out of the room, to everyone else's mild protests, but didn't let it deter him. Logan had made up his mind, and his schedule, and he was sticking with it.

Mrs. Knight was awake an hour later, surprised to see Logan up and working on his computer, but kept quiet. She offered him some coffee and got straight to work making breakfast.

By a quarter to seven everyone, except Carlos, was awake and scrambling to get ready as every bathroom in the apartment was suddenly occupied. At ten past seven James finally went into their room and shook Carlos awake. Five minutes after that, Mrs. Knight went into their room and tried again.

"Go take a quick shower and I'll have breakfast waiting for you," Mrs. Knight said, steering Carlos in the right direction. "Is everyone else ready to go?"

"Yeah," Kendall said, giving her a quick once over. "Everyone but you and Katie."

"We're going later," she said. "Didn't Kelly tell you?"

"No," he answered.

"Yes, we're flying up with Gustavo on his jet."

"Both of you?" Kendall asked. "Katie, I thought you'd want to go on the bus."

"Let me see," Katie said, holding out her hands as if she was weighing her options. "Private jet or a five-hour bus ride? Hmm. Tough choice."

"So you trust us to go alone?" Kendall asked, and Logan and James wheeled around to see her reply as well.

"Of course I do," she said with a smile.

"Really?" Logan asked.

"With Kelly there I do," she finished, still smiling.

"I knew there was a catch," James sighed.

"Hurry up," Mrs. Knight prodded, motioning for them to keep eating. "She'll be here soon."

"Who will be what?" Carlos asked as he sat down in his usual seat next to James at the table.

"Kelly's taking the bus with us to Vegas," James answered.

"Oh," Carlos yawned. "That's nice."

Mrs. Knight managed to get everyone out the door, with all their luggage, and in the lobby early where Kelly met them in stunned disbelief.

"You have to teach me how you do that," Kelly said in awe.

"Three months of practice finally paid off," she said, smiling back at her.

"I'll say," Kelly agreed, leading the group out to the waiting bus. "Is everyone ready?"

"Yep," they all said at once.

"Great," she said, still smiling, as she showed them where to drop their luggage.

As the driver began to stow the many bags, James nudged Kelly and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Who's that?"

"Oh," Kelly jumped turning around to the young woman James had pointed out, who had been standing by the door to the bus. "Come on over. Guys," she said, catching their attention. "This is Tracey."

"Hi, Tracey," they all said.

"She's one of Rocque Records new hires and is coming with us this week as a part of her training."

She waved at them all a bit nervously. Tracey was not much taller than Kelly and probably the same age, but with short platinum blond hair and a mass of freckles on her otherwise pale complexion.

"Oh," James said, trying to be friendly. "So, your job is going to be something like Kelly's?"

"Actually," she answered, "I'm taking over for Kelly completely. I was hired to replace her."

"We can talk about this on the way there," Kelly interrupted, her fakest smile plastered firmly in place.

"But..." Carlos began, shaking his head.

"Later," Kelly cut in as Mrs. Knight stepped forward to help further distract them.

"Bye, boys," she said, hugging and kissing each of them on the cheek in turn. "Behave. Listen to Kelly, and Tracey," she added quickly. "Have fun and we'll see you soon."

"Bye, Mom," Kendall said hugging her again quickly, as Katie opted to give him a high-five instead.

Once everyone was on the bus, they were off. For the first several minutes they were all too distracted by the bus itself to begin barraging Kelly with questions. It was pretty nice, if not fairly standard. The front half, behind the driver, had a table and benches on one side, with a long couch on the other. There was a television with a DVD player and a game system as well, along with a small kitchenette and another, smaller, sitting area. The back half of the bus had sleeping bunks, a changing area, and a bathroom. As soon as they'd done their exploring and claimed their own personal spaces, the guys all returned to the front of the bus and turned to Kelly expectantly.

"I got a promotion," she stated simply. "I didn't say anything sooner because it just came through and Tracey just accepted my old position."

Tracey smiled again at them from her seat on the opposite side of the bus.

"Well, that's great," Kendall started, and they all nodded in agreement, "but, what does that mean exactly? Are you not going to be with us any longer?"

"No," Kelly said quickly. "I'll still be around. I will. I'm just going to be doing more of the production side and less of the handling part."

"Oh," James said, "that won't be so bad. You'll still be coming on tour with us though, right?"

"No," Kelly answered with a frown. "I won't."

"But..." Carlos started to say, but quickly changed his mind.

"I'm still coming to some of the shows," she said. "Really, you guys are going to be so busy, you won't even miss me. And Tracey is going to do a great job. By the end of the summer, you're going to be wondering how you ever got along without her."

Before anyone could answer, Logan's phone beeped again, loud enough to make everyone jump, including the driver.

"Really, Logan?" James snapped. "Is that going to happen all summer?"

"Sorry," he said, busying himself as he tried to turn it off. "I've been trying to figure out how to reset the volume but - "

"Try harder," James said, shaking his head.

No one said anything more to Kelly about her good news, mostly because none of them felt like it was good news, promotion or not. Instead, Logan began to work immediately on his courses on one side of the table, while Kelly and Tracey went over schedules on the other. James and Kendall settled in to play a few video games, while Carlos decided to take a nap.

A little over an hour into the trip, Kelly let out a laugh, got up and walked around to Logan's side of the table.

"I knew it," Kendall said, taking a quick peak behind him and shaking his head with a laugh of his own. "Doesn't matter where we're going, if he's in the car longer than an hour, he falls right to sleep."

"Well," Kelly said, lowering her voice so she wouldn't wake him, "we'll just let him sleep then."

She gently picked up his arm by his wrist and moved it off of the keyboard of his laptop before saving his files, just in case. Logan's head was resting in the crook of his arm, and other than a soft snore, he made no other noise.

Kelly smiled and shook her head as she moved to sit by the other guys, pausing halfway there and straining to listen.

"What's that?" she asked.

This time James paused the game and after a minute laughed loudly.

"Carlos," Kendall and James said at the same time.

Kelly looked at them, clearly confused.

"He's singing," James clarified.

"He forgets that we can still hear him even if he's got his headset on," Kendall explained further.

"Either that or he's talking in his sleep again," James said, turning the game back on again.

"Could be," Kendall agreed.

"Okay, well, if you two have a minute," Kelly said, "maybe we can go over the itinerary."

"Oh, yeah," Kendall said excitedly. "I wanted to hear what you've got planned."

"Me too," James added, setting down his controller, each of them taking a seat on either side of her.

"Here," she said, happily handing them each the schedule.

"Okay," Kendall said after a minute, his eyes going down the list several times. "This looks great..."

"But what about Carlos?" James asked.

"You are not seriously telling me that Carlos wouldn't like laser tag?"

"Carlos is going to love laser tag," Kendall said immediately. "But what else?"

"What else?" Kelly asked, becoming irritated. "Do you know how hard it is to line up that many activities with one day of notice in a city built for people over the age of twenty-one?"

"No, Kelly, this is great," Kendall said quickly, and James nodded in agreement. "Really. But, you said you had something planned. That you had us covered, remember?"

"Well, I do," she said. "And it's a surprise, so..."

"Oh," James said, sounding relieved. "You're throwing him a surprise party. He'll love that, too."

"Yeah," Kendall agreed.

"Well, it's a surprise for all of you," Kelly said, real confusion starting to steep in. "Not just Carlos."

"How can his birthday party be for all of us?" James asked.

"Birthday?" Kelly repeated, and then she covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, no. Oh, I forgot. I forgot and I had it on my calendar and everything..."

"So there's no plan," Kendall said quickly. "Kelly, there has to be a plan."

"We could get him a cake," Tracey suggested mildly, barely looking up from her laptop.

"Well, yeah," James said rather unkindly.

"My mom had this huge thing planned..."

"Kendall, shush," Kelly said. "I'll... I'll think of something. I'll get something planned and... Oh, man, what should I get him?"

Kendall threw up his shoulders in a shrug.

"What did you guys get him?" she asked.

"Nerf gun," Kendall answered.

"Astronaut ice cream," James said.

"Nice," Kendall said, nodding at James.

"I know, right?"

"What?" Kelly exclaimed. "It's his sixteenth birthday and you got him a toy gun and a novelty treat?"

"Oh, see," Kendall explained, "we have this thing where we never spend more than ten dollars on gifts for each other. Saves a lot of hassle."

"It used to be five," James added, "but that was getting ridiculous. Logan bought me gum. Where did you find a Nerf gun under ten dollars?"

"It's one of those handheld ones."

"It wasn't on sale, was it?" James asked suspiciously, and then added for Kelly's benefit. "It has to be under ten dollars, regular price."

"No," Kendall said defensively. "I don't cheat."

"Okay then," James said in a matter that indicated he didn't quite believe him.

"Guys," Kelly said, pulling focus back to herself. "What does he want? What should I get him? More importantly, what should I get him from Gustavo?"

"A car," James said automatically.

"No."

"He needs a new pair of skates," Kendall suggested.

"Maybe," Kelly said. "Keep talking."

"Should I be ordering a cake?" Tracey asked.

"No," Kelly said, taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm. "I'll take care of it. I'll do this myself."


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **Sorry for the uneven updates. I've mentioned it before, but I've got three stories going all of a sudden, which is huge because I haven't written much in a very long time. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!

**Chapter 4**

They were running about an hour late by the time they'd arrived in Las Vegas, thanks largely to an unexpected stop when the guys all swore they couldn't go another mile without something to eat. This naturally led, not so much to a quick burger run, but to rather a lot of running around inside of Barstow Station. After Kelly corralled them back onto the bus, which wasn't easy and Tracey wasn't helping, the rest of the trip went smoothly. They did all try to talk her into stopping at Primm, but Kelly wasn't going for it.

"But there was a rollercoaster," Carlos pleaded.

"There's also one at New York, New York. And the Sahara. And the Stratosphere. We'll be there in a hour, you can wait."

"Can we go on one today?" Carlos asked quickly.

"Maybe," she said with a smile that they all knew meant yes.

When they finally arrived, it seemed that James was no longer the only one excited about this trip. Even though it was still broad daylight, and despite the fact that their hotel was at the very beginning of the Strip, the bus driver convinced Kelly that one quick trip up and back again was worth the extra time. And, without the guys even having to ask, Kelly had agreed, as eager as any of them to see some of the city.

"Okay," Kelly said, when they finally arrived in front of the hotel and were still on the bus. "Here's the plan. I'm going to go check us in..."

"I'll get a luggage cart," Carlos began.

"We'll go check out the pool," James and Kendall said together, after exchanging a brief look.

"I'm..."

"Stop!" Kelly yelled, loud enough to get all of their attention.

She waited until she was certain that each of them was giving her their fullest attention before she continued on again.

"We're all going to go inside, together, while I get our keys and that's it. Nothing more. There will be plenty of time for the pool and sight seeing and everything else, but there are a few things we have to do first. Okay?"

"Okay," they all echoed.

The guys, subdued by Kelly's speech, followed her and Tracey into the lobby while a bellhop helped the driver with the bags. The place was huge and extravagantly decorated, and quite honestly, a little intimidating.

"I feel like we're underdressed," James said in a low voice, which Carlos took as a hint and whipped off his helmet.

"Relax," Kendall said easily. "Just act like you belong."

As if on cue, Logan's phone let loose one of it's obnoxious beeps, which echoed severely across the entire lobby causing everyone to turn and stare

"Shut that thing off," James said in a harsh whisper.

Logan turned beet red and, with a little push from Carlos, rushed out the front doors as he tried to quiet the blasted thing. A few minutes later, as he was rejoining them, still a little red around the ears, Kelly was back as well.

"Slight change of plans," she said, beginning to look a little stressed. "Gustavo can't fly up until Thursday morning."

"But my mom was going to come up with him," Kendall said, surprised to find himself bothered by that thought.

"And she still is," Kelly finished for him, "with Katie. Until then, I am your acting guardian."

They each looked at her as if they weren't quite sure what that meant. Kelly wasn't entirely sure what that would entail either, she just knew that, suddenly, she was the only adult, aside from Tracey - who so far hadn't shown any signs of wanting to get involved - and she was in complete charge of everything.

"Let's just go up to our rooms and we'll go over a few things there," Kelly said with a tight smile, leading them off towards what she hoped was the correct bank of elevators.

It wasn't, but the bellhop kindly stepped in and pointed them in the right direction.

Trying not to feel too embarrassed, and soon realizing that they were not all going to fit in one elevator with the bags, Kelly split the group in what she felt confident was the best arrangement, sending Tracey off in one elevator with Logan and Carlos, while she went with Kendall and James, the two she knew caused the most trouble.

As soon as the elevator doors shut, Kendall made a soft 'tsk'. Kelly turned and looked up at him as he slowly shook his head.

"Rookie mistake," he said with a smile.

"Definitely," James added, also with a smile.

"What are you talking about?"

"You can never send Carlos and Logan off together in a situation like this," Kendall said as if it was somehow common knowledge. "It's a recipe for disaster."

"Yeah," James agreed. "You have to always send one of them with one of us. We're older and without our guidance -"

"First off," Kelly interrupted, "you are like two days older than Logan."

"Five days actually," James corrected.

"Whatever," Kelly said. "Second, I know which of you four are the troublemakers. I'm looking at them."

"While it may be true that James and I occasional bend a rule or two," Kendall conceded, "you are seriously misunderstanding Carlos and Logan's deeper natures."

"Carlos is too nice to cause Tracey any real grief on her first day," Kelly countered, quickly dismissing Kendall's words. "And Logan is too smart to want to get in any trouble."

"So close," Kendall said, shaking his head ruefully.

"Yet so far," James added with a voice full of mock sobriety as the door of the elevator opened with a ding.

"Right this way," Kendall said, steering Kelly towards the elevator the other three had taken along with the bellhop.

"You see," James explained. "While Carlos is nice and Logan is smart, in your haste to keep us troublemakers in check, you overlooked other, crucial, aspects of their characters."

"Like?" Kelly asked, not really wanting to know.

"Like the fact that Carlos has no impulse control," Kendall answered.

"And that Logan is very easily irritated," James said. "Especially in confined spaces."

"Like elevators," Kendall said, smiling at her.

"My guess is that Carlos pushed every button, for every floor, in this place," James said.

"And that Logan will still be yelling about it by they time the doors open here," Kendall finished.

Kelly shook her head slowly, hoping they were wrong, but as they watched the display creep slowly from floor to floor, and a full five minutes elapsed before it finally arrived on the correct floor, she felt like she wanted to cry. Sure enough, when the doors slid open, Logan and Carlos were both yelling at one another, Tracey looked absolutely distraught, and the poor bellhop was obviously annoyed.

Kelly couldn't even speak, she was so angry, but luckily Logan and Carlos both had the good sense to stop and look reasonably ashamed of themselves, and followed her without another word.

Tracey went straight to the room she was sharing with Kelly across the hall, while Kelly opened up the guys' suite and tipped the bellhop fifty dollars for his trouble.

While she was busy doing that the guys were all taking a look around the place. It was very nice, with a large living area and a nice place to eat. There were two bedrooms, each with two double beds and an attached bathroom.

"Okay, guys," Kelly called once everything had been taken care of. "Come here. Let's have a talk."

Everyone wandered back and sat on the couch she was standing in front of.

"We need to get a few things straight right now," she said, pausing to look each one of them in the eyes so that they knew she was serious. "Lets lay down the rules while I'm in charge. First off, you can not go running off without telling me exactly where you will be. Ever. That's rule number one. This is not St. Paul. This is not Los Angeles. Those urban legends you've heard about people waking up missing kidneys are true and they happened here."

Kelly paused long enough to make sure her message was getting through.

"Rule number two is that anywhere you see a sign that says 'no one under twenty-one beyond that point' what it means is that you are not allowed beyond that point."

Logan raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"How many rules are there?"

"Rule number three," Kelly continued without answering him. "When I call your phone, answer. And I will call. I will also know where you're supposed to be and where you are, and if those two don't match up exactly, there will be consequences."

"Okay, Kelly," Kendall said, with a nervous laugh. "You're starting to scare me."

"Rule number four," she soldiered on, "is that the pretty girl who wants to give you her number so that you can call her later - not happening. It is especially not happening if she has a business card. She does not want to be your friend and I'm not explaining any of that to your mothers. Any girl that I do not personal know and approve of will be no where near you or this room."

"Seriously, you're really a little frightening right now," James added.

"Rule number five is that this in not the Palm Woods. They will not put up with any of your shenanigans. There are no three strikes here, they'll just throw you out. Forever. Which would be very, very bad."

Kelly stopped and took a deep breath.

"I am in charge," she said, wrapping it up. "But I need you guys to work with me. I still want you to have fun, but we've also got a job to do here and..."

"Kelly," Kendall said, seeing she was starting to get really over stressed. "We'll be fine. No one's going to do anything stupid or anything else to mess this up. And I know we say that a lot, but... we mean it this time. Right?"

"Right," they other three echoed.

"I appreciate it," she said, sinking into the nearest arm chair.

"If you're in charge," James asked, leaning forward and speaking low, "does this mean we don't have to listen to Tracey?"

"Ugh," Kelly sighed, dragging an arm over her eyes as she tilted back her head. "She's probably emailing her resignation letter back to the studio right now."

"So, that's a no?"

Kelly threw him a dirty look just as someone knocked on the door.

"I'll get it," Carlos said, jumping up before anyone else had a chance and racing to the door.

While he was doing that, Logan began to set up his laptop at the table, and James and Kendall took to looking out the window at the pool below.

"I was told Mrs. Wainwright would be here," came an unfamiliar voice from the doorway.

Kelly stood up and prayed it wasn't bad news as she quickly crossed the room and put on her best smile.

"I'm Ms. Wainwright," she said, extending a hand to the tall, and it had to be said, good looking man, tall with dark hair and light brown eyes, who stood there waiting. "And actually, Kelly is fine."

"Nice to meet you, Kelly," he said, smiling back at her as she led the way into the main part of the room. "I'm Derrick Cleaves, one of the entertainment coordinators here at Mandalay Bay."

Carlos shut the door and followed the two of them slowly back into the room, an odd feeling bubbling in his stomach at the way this guy had just looked at Kelly.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, too, Mr. Cleaves."

"Derrick," he said firmly.

"Derrick," she repeated, her smile faltering a bit when she saw that Kendall looked fit to burst from holding in his laughter. "This is Big Time Rush," she continued, unaccustomed to this part of the job and feeling oddly flustered after a long day's travel. "That's Kendall and James. Logan, over there and um," she paused, looking around before finally spotting Carlos against the far wall, "you met Carlos already."

"Pleasure to meet you all," he said smoothly, without really looking at any of them. "If I could just borrow you for a moment, Kelly, so that we can go over the schedule together. I wanted to make certain everything is to your liking."

"Certainly," she said. "We can go next door to my room and talk there."

"Excellent."

Kelly showed him to the door, and was almost out of it completely when they heard her excuse herself on the pretense of having left her purse behind. She then came back into the room, closing the door behind her.

"I'm only going to be gone for ten minutes so do not leave this room," she said in a low voice.

"What if there's a fire?" Kendall asked, smiling at her mischievously.

"Don't wreck this room. Don't touch anything in the tiny fridge. Just don't do anything."

Kelly gave them one last warning look before leaving the room completely this time.

"You guys," Logan said, as Kendall and James burst into laughter, "I know you're joking, but you really need to let up. I don't think she's in a laughing mood and she doesn't need the trouble right now."

"He's right," James said. "Maybe we shouldn't start screaming matches inside of elevators. No wait, that was you."

"He pushed all the buttons," Logan said defensively, pointing at Carlos for emphasis.

They all turned to Carlos, waiting for his rebuttal, but he was still staring at the door.

"I don't like that guy," Carlos said, having not even heard them.

"Okay," Kendall said, stepping into the exact spot Kelly had been occupying. "If I may. Carlos, I thought you were over this."

"Over... I'm... I don't know what your..." Carlos stammered, but quickly caved under their combined stares. "Okay, fine. Maybe I'm not exactly over it entirely but... Fine. I won't say anything more about stupid guys with their stupid suits. But, come on, who dresses like that when it's like a hundred and ten degrees outside."

"People with jobs dress like that," Logan answered, typing away on his keyboard and ignoring the look he received in return.

"And that brings me to you," Kendall said, wheeling around and pointing at Logan.

"What?" Logan asked defensively.

"You have really got to dial it back to about a four," Kendall told him. "Because right now you're floating between an eight and a nine, and if you don't stop, one of us is going to kill you in your sleep."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," James said, taking over, "that it is the second day of summer vacation and you are wound up like your taking your SATs tomorrow."

"That's no joke," Logan said, completely serious. "Do you know we only have - "

"I don't care!" James yelled.

"You need to relax," Kendall said.

"I am..." Logan began to say, but stopped when he saw the looks he was getting in return. "Okay. Fine. I'll try to relax."

"James," Kendall said after Logan had stopped muttering under his breath.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing, yet," Kendall added quickly. "But Logan's right. We both need to cut Kelly some slack and help her out when we can. We said we'd behave, so, maybe we should cut out the jokes, too."

"I can do that," James said easily.

"So, we're all agreed?" Kendall asked, looking around the room for support. "No goofing off. No crazy schemes. We'll just relax while we're here, help Kelly out, and still have a good time."

"Yeah," the others agreed.

Half an hour later they were on their way to the emergency room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes:** Short chapter. Another to follow tomorrow or Monday at the latest. Thanks for reading! Thank you, Tripp3235, for your help beta'ing! Enjoy!

**Chapter 5**

"It really doesn't hurt that bad."

Kelly stopped her pacing long enough to give him a skeptical stare.

"It doesn't," Kendall argued, still pale from shock, but trying his hardest to not let anything show on his features. "Kelly, relax. I'm fine."

"I'll relax when I get hold of your mother," Kelly said, letting out a long breath and looking close to tears.

"Don't worry about my mom," Kendall said, knowing it was pointless to tell her not to worry. "I've broken my wrist before playing hockey. It's not a big deal."

They'd already seen the doctor twice and it was fairly straightforward. Kendall had tripped and landed badly on his outstretched hand while he'd been attempting to do the right thing and unpack all the luggage. They were now just waiting for the doctor to come back and put it in a cast so that they could go.

Kendall was taking it well, but Kelly was a wreck. She hadn't panicked, but she hadn't been able to sit still either. The other guys had wanted to come along with them to the hospital, and now she was half worried that she should have brought them, just to make sure nothing happened to them too. Of course they still had Tracey, who miraculously had not quit, but Kelly seriously questioned what good she'd be in a crisis.

"Hello again, Mr. Knight," the doctor said pleasantly after reentering the room, addressing Kendall directly. "I see the swelling has gone down. That's good."

Kendall had winced as the doctor gently examined the area, shook his head, and called for something from the nurse that he didn't quite catch the name of.

"What was that?" Kelly asked, saving Kendall the trouble.

"We're going to just give him a mild sedative," the doctor answered, before turning back to Kendall. "We need to realign the bones. Now that the swelling has gone down, you can see this here," he said, leaning over and pointing to a part of his wrist, "that it is not supposed to be there."

"So, it's like dislocated?" Kendall asked, starting to sound nervous.

"Something like that, yes," he answered. "The sedative will help, but it will still hurt. We'll also numb the area. I won't do anything until you are ready."

Kendall nodded and the nurse stepped forward to administer the shot, but Kelly saw the first glimpse of real fear in his eyes. Kendall, while much better with shots than James, still chose to look the other way as the needle first stabbed then stung.

"I'll give that a few minutes to kick in and then I'll be back to get you on your way home," the doctor said, still pleasant, as he left the room.

Kelly patted his shoulder reassuringly, but before she could say anything her phone rang.

"Mrs. Knight," she said, relieved her message had gotten through. "It's Kelly. We've had a bit of an accident."

Kendall couldn't hear his mother's reply, but knew she was probably asking a thousand questions without waiting for an answer.

"Nothing serious," Kelly said after a lengthy pause. "No, nothing like that. See, Kendall... Yes, he's fine. Honest. He just took a tumble and broke his wrist."

Kendall motioned for her to hand off the phone, but she held up a hand signaling for him to wait a moment.

"Yes," Kelly said, looking relieved. "The doctor is going to realign it and put it in a cast soon. Okay. Here he is."

Kelly sighed and handed him the phone, stepping to the far side of the room and giving him as much privacy as was possible. Kendall briefly explained what had happened, assured her he was fine and then told her he loved her before giving back the phone.

"I'll call you when we're back at the hotel," Kelly assured her. "Definitely. And, Mrs. Knight, I am so sorry... I know. I know. Thank you. See you on Thursday. Bye."

Kelly smiled at Kendall whose laugh sounded more like a giggle, saying, "I told you."

"Yeah, well, I think that sedative is kicking in," Kelly returned. "You're looking a little cloudy."

"I'm feeling... cloudy," he agreed, dropping his head back with a thud.

The doctor came back soon after that and, even with the sedative it had hurt enough for Kendall to cry out, but nothing more. There was nothing to do after that but apply the cast and for Kelly to call a taxi to bring them back to the hotel.

The real problem arose from the fact that Kendall was more than a little affected by the sedative and a lot bigger than Kelly was. At first it was okay, as he was only hard to steer in the right direction, but about halfway there he started feeling sick to his stomach and started relying on her to support his weight.

"Thank God," she muttered as she finally got him to the door and pushed it open. "James? Carlos? Someone?"

James jumped up and took over for Kelly, walking with Kendall towards his room.

"Hey, James," Kendall said way too loudly. "I've got a cast."

"What else did you get?" Logan asked, turning to Kelly.

"A whole lot of pain killers," Kelly answered as she dropped back into what she was already starting to think of as 'her chair'.

"He's really gone," James said, coming back into the living room. "Passed right to out."

"Is he at least on his side?" Kelly asked. "If he throws up..."

"Taken care of," James assured her, sighing as he sat back down on the couch next to Carlos.

"What did you guys do while we were gone?" Kelly asked, so exhausted she could hardly keep her eyes open.

"Nothing," Carlos answered. "Watched some movies but mostly..."

"Nothing," James finished.

"Well, you went out for dinner, right?" Kelly asked, checking her watch and surprised to find it was after nine.

Logan shook his head in response, and Kelly wheeled around, alert again with her eyes on Tracey.

"Why didn't you guys go out and eat?"

"You said to stay here," she answered.

"I meant... I didn't mean right here," Kelly fumed. "There's like a dozen restaurants downstairs. So no one's had dinner or anything?"

James was the only one brave enough to offer up a 'no'.

"Tracey," Kelly said, back on her feet again and trying not to yell, "why don't you call it a night. Go back to the room. Go out. Just, go."

"Okay," she said, either purposely missing Kelly's tone or trying to appear as if she did.

As soon as she was gone, Kelly turned back to the guys.

"I am so sorry," she began.

"It's not your fault," Logan said quickly. "We tried to convince her that we could at least order something but..."

"She said she wasn't sure we should do that or not, so we didn't," James finished.

"Well," Kelly said, tossing them the menu, "go crazy. Or, you know, if you want to go pick something up and bring it back, I wasn't joking. There really are like a ton of places to eat in this casino."

"Maybe tomorrow," James said with a yawn.

"Yeah, it would be weird going out with Kendall back here all doped up," Carlos agreed. "He's going to be okay, isn't he?"

"Yes," Kelly assured him. "Now order something. You must be starving. I know if you guys don't eat fourteen times a day you die or something."

"Do you want anything?" Logan asked, pointing out what he wanted to James who still had the menu in his hands.

"A salad I guess," she answered, earning surprised looks in return.

"Oh, all right," she said, giving up all pretenses that she wasn't half starved herself and standing up to stretch "Order me a cheeseburger and a strawberry shake if they have it. I'm going to go change out of these clothes and have a word with Tracey. I'll be back soon."

Fifteen minutes later Kelly came back wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt accompanied by flip flops, with her hair pulled back and her make-up washed off. She was carrying a pillow and had brought a blanket.

"I'm sleeping on the couch tonight," she told them. "Just tonight," she clarified, seeing their less than thrilled looks. "Until that sedative wears off. If something happens and I'm not here..." She left the rest unfinished, but knew her point had gotten across. She was their guardian, and that's what guardians did.

Their dinners arrived not long after that and for the first time all day Kelly felt relaxed as they sat around the table, talking and eating. Logan was the first to go to bed, claiming he had to get up early again the next morning to keep up with his course work. James soon followed, leaving Carlos and Kelly alone.

"She's not going to work out, is she?" Carlos asked as Kelly finished typing off an email to Gustavo. Tired or not, she still had work to do.

"No," Kelly said, knowing exactly what he'd meant. "She's just one of the many things that is not working out on this trip."

"But it's not your fault," Carlos said quickly, worried even. "Gustavo can't blame you for her or for Kendall's accident. It was an accident, I swear. We weren't horsing around or anything."

"I know," she laughed. "And he doesn't blame me. I blame me."

"Don't do that."

"That's what happens when you're in charge and everything goes to the dogs," Kelly paused, pursing her lips. "Not, dogs like Gustavo calls you guys dogs. Like the expression. You know what I mean."

"I do," he said with a laugh.

"Good. I'm so tired, I'm not sure I know what I mean."

"I'm sure tomorrow will be better," he offered with a smile.

"Couldn't be worse," she shrugged, smiling back at him in return.

"Well," Carlos said, standing up and stretching through a yawn. "I'm going to bed. Are you sure you've got enough blankets and stuff?"

"I'll manage," Kelly said, looking over at the couch and then back to Carlos again.

"Okay, well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Carlos," Kelly returned.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **I've got nothing to say except thank you for reading and enjoy!

**Chapter 6**

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

Kelly, who had jolted up out of a deep sleep, turned and looked incredulously at Logan.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Five-twenty," he answered, from where he sat at the table. The only light was coming from his laptop, which he had shifted to face away from her. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake Kendall so I came out here."

"What was that noise?"

"Oh, the coffee pot," Logan answered. "I didn't think it would be that loud. I was trying to keep quiet."

"It's fine," she said through a massive yawn. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just trying to get some of this done," he answered.

"I can go back to sleep?"

"Yeah," he said with a soft laugh. "Sorry."

Kelly felt like her head had just hit the pillow again when the room was suddenly filled with noise and a lot more light than before.

"Keep it down," she heard Carlos hiss.

"Okay, but I've got to get something to eat," came Kendall's reply.

"Go," Kelly said, her voice hoarse, as she sat halfway up and rubbed her eyes. "Take a key and go pick a place you can charge to the room."

"Hey, it lives," James said with a laugh.

"Ha, ha," Kelly said, fighting down a yawn. "What time is it?"

"A little after nine," James answered.

"How are you feeling?" she asked Kendall.

"Fine. Arm is a little sore," he answered, shrugging it off. "Hungry."

"Okay, go. Just send me a text when you pick a place and I'll join you soon so we can go over the plan for today."

"All right," James said. "See you later, Kelly."

"Bye," Kendall said, already halfway out the door.

"Are you sure you don't want us to wait for you?" Carlos asked, still hovering in the doorway.

"I'm sure," she answered.

"So am I," Kendall called from down the hall, making her laugh. "Let's go."

Carlos smiled and waved before shutting the door. It wasn't until a few minutes later, after she'd started folding up her blankets in order to take them back to her room, Kelly realized she wasn't alone.

Just like he had been on the bus, Logan had fallen fast asleep next to his laptop.

"Logan," Kelly said, shaking him gently by the shoulder. "Wake up."

"What?" he shouted, half jumping out of his chair.

"Time to get up," she said, trying not to laugh outright at him.

"Oh," he said, looking around the room, obviously still half asleep and confused. "Where's everyone? What time is it?"

"It's time for breakfast and everyone else already left."

"Without me?"

"Well, they probably thought you needed the rest," Kelly said, trying to put as nice of a spin on it as she could. "Hop in the shower and we'll catch up with them. I'm going over to my room, so stop next door when you're ready."

"Okay," he said, still yawning, but getting to his feet and heading off towards his room.

Kelly tried to get ready as fast as she could, but Logan was still ready before she was.

"A few more minutes," she promised, as he took a seat on her couch. The room was identical to the one they had, only inversed.

"Hey, where's Tracey?" Logan called back to her.

"Yeah," Kelly said with a dry laugh. "She quit."

"You're joking."

"No, I'm not."

"Wow," Logan said, laughing. "I didn't know we were that bad."

"I think it was more about me than you guys," Kelly said, as she grabbed her portfolio and phone and led him out the door. "She told Gustavo I was too overbearing."

"She didn't?" Logan said, not sure if it was still funny. "What did Gustavo say?"

"He laughed."

Kelly and Logan found the rest of the guys midway through breakfast by the time they joined them. After they ordered, Kelly got straight down to business.

"So, tomorrow we start practicing," she said, scanning the schedule she'd just printed prior to leaving her room. "Gustavo has booked you in one of the local studios for most of the week to go over some of the songs for the tour. You guys will be performing at the beach venue, here, at six o'clock on Saturday evening as part of the festival. Not bad," she commented to herself. "Dress rehearsal for that is on Wednesday afternoon. Today is wide open, so whatever you guys want to do, you can, but," she added quickly, seeing they were all about to say something to interrupt her, "whatever you do, no one goes alone. Got it?"

"Got it," the all repeated back to her.

"Kendall," she said. "Is your arm going to be a problem? Truthfully. If you're not up to any of this, just let me know."

"Of course not," he answered confidentially.

"Okay," she said, looking a little uneasy about it, but letting it go. "We'll work out any problems with the choreography tomorrow."

"Sounds good."

Kelly went back to her email, via her phone, while the guys sat talking about what they were going to do. For a few minutes she was too absorbed in what she was doing to realize that they weren't actually talking, but arguing.

"There is a rollercoaster on top of a tower and no one is going to go on it with me?" Carlos asked, sounding disappointed in them all.

"I would," Kendall said quickly, "I just don't think that's a good idea with this cast."

"I'm not going to lie," Logan admitted, "you'd have to break my arm to get me on that thing."

Carlos turned to James, his absolute last hope, but it was a definite no.

"I was going to go to the pool," James said, trying to explain it in a way that didn't make him look afraid. "They have a lazy river."

"That's all we ever do," Carlos complained.

"What am I going to do at the pool?" Kendall asked. "I have a cast that can't get wet."

"Guys," Kelly interrupted before they got too loud. "There's a GameWorks right down the street. How's that?"

"Perfect," Kendall answered.

"Yeah, okay," James said, less enthusiastically.

"All right," Carlos said.

"I was actually going to just go back upstairs," Logan admitted.

"You have got to be kidding," James said, rolling his eyes.

"I've got a lot of work to do."

"You'd have a lot less if you stopped falling asleep on your laptop," Kendall joked.

"You've got to come," Carlos said.

"He's right," Kelly added. "Either that or someone has to stay with you, because I was serious about that whole buddy-system. Two of you. Together. Wherever you go."

"Fine," Logan sighed. "I'll go. I guess one day won't put me too far behind."

Kelly watched them set off half wishing she could go with them, but there was too much work to be done. She'd been busy rearranging all of the activities she'd had planned to accommodate Kendall's injury and she had to meet again with Derrick Cleaves. Plus, now that Tracey had quit, she also had to go back through all the potential candidates for her old job, so that Kelly could move on to her new one.

Derrick Cleaves was just as pleasant to her today as he had been yesterday. They went over exactly how the evening would go and she gave him the finalized set list. Together they reviewed the smaller details of the event that no one but Kelly ever found important. She was surprised that he could answer her questions minutely and even enthusiastically. Kelly had never met someone as organized as she was and found it a refreshing change.

"There's also a party," he said as she'd gathered up her things; they had met in his office, which was so lavish it almost made Kelly weep with envy. "Wednesday night."

"I thought there was a party every night in Vegas," Kelly said, smiling and instantly regretting the remark, fearing that it had sounded stupid.

But Derrick laughed and agreed with her before continuing on.

"I meant there's a party for the performers on Wednesday night at the House of Blues. Eight o'clock."

"Well, my performers are all underage, so..." Kelly said, starting to shake her head.

"They'll be fine. I promise."

Kelly bit her lip, hesitant to agree and regretting her status as sole guardian for the week.

"And they won't be the only ones," he assured her. "We have other underage performers. They'll have to wear a wristband is all. Believe me, no casino wants to be fined for serving to minors."

"Okay," she said after mulling it over for another moment. "They'll be there."

"And will you be there with them?"

"Well, I could hardly send them alone," Kelly laughed.

"Then, I'll look forward to seeing you there."

Kelly smiled, fumbling for words in her head, when luckily her phone rang.

"Excuse me," she said, turning slightly as she made to answer the phone.

"I'll let you go," Derrick said politely, leaving his own office to give her privacy. "Take your time."

"Kelly," came Logan's voice before she'd even said 'hello' and waved goodbye to Derrick.

"What's wrong?" she asked, knowing it couldn't be good.

"Nothing," he returned. "Okay, well, not nothing... um, Kendall and I are headed back to the room."

"So soon?" she asked, leaving Derrick's office and smiling at the receptionist as she passed her on the way to the lobby.

"Tell her there's nothing wrong. I just need to lay down," Kelly heard Kendall say in the background.

"Lie down," Logan corrected automatically, still not speaking into the phone.

"What's wrong?" she asked again, her anxiety growing with each passing second.

"Nothing," Logan said quickly. "Nothing's wrong."

"What did she say?" Kendall was asking just off to the side.

"Logan, tell me the truth," Kelly demanded.

"We're almost to the room," Logan said impatiently. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the lobby."

"So are we."

Kelly put her phone down and turned around.

On the other side of the room Logan had done the exact same thing and they found themselves staring directly at one another. Kelly made quick work of crossing to them.

"What happened?" she asked, looking from where Logan stood to Kendall who was sitting and looked positively drained of color.

"Nothing," Kendall said before Logan had a chance to speak.

"Logan?" Kelly asked, turning and ignoring Kendall altogether.

"Okay," Kendall said, getting up on wobbly legs, cutting Logan off again. "Okay. But, it's really nothing."

Kelly nodded, but noticed that Logan had placed a firm grip on Kendall's elbow, as if he was afraid he might topple over.

"I bumped my arm and..."

"And?" Kelly asked as Kendall trailed off into nothing.

"And..." Kendall said, drawing out the word.

"And he threw up," Logan finished.

"It's nothing. I just need some rest."

"Maybe I should take you back to the doctor," Kelly said, more to herself than to the other two.

"No," Kendall objected loudly. "I'm not... I'm not sick and it's fine. It just hurt and... and..."

"Kendall throws up when he's in pain," Logan finished for him again.

"Could you please shut up," Kendall snapped at Logan. "I don't..."

"Yes, you do," Logan said.

"Stop," Kelly said sharply, before their fight got any louder. "Let's go back to the room and we can talk about it there."

"There's nothing to talk about," Kendall said, yanking his arm away from Logan. "My breakfast probably just didn't agree with me. That's it."

Kendall, determined and pale, marched ahead of them towards the bank of elevators and no one spoke again until they reached the room. Kendall then went straight to bed, lying down with a groan.

Kelly didn't have to ask, merely raised her eyebrows inquisitively in Logan's direction as soon as the door had shut on them.

"He's always been like this," Logan explained.

"What happened?"

"It's like he said. He bumped his arm accidentally and, well, pain makes him sick. Like, really sick. I've told him that everyone reacts differently to it, but right now he's probably more embarrassed than anything."

"So, leave him alone?"

"Yeah," Logan advised, starting his laptop back up.

"Where are Carlos and James?"

"I told them to stay," Logan answered. "They were still having fun and I wanted to be here anyway."

"You weren't having fun?" Kelly asked.

"I was... but you know. It can't all be fun and games, right?"

"Actually, Logan, I think at sixteen it's supposed to be."

Logan didn't look up at her again; pretending he hadn't heard.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **Sorry this one is taking longer than the last to get out there, I've been extra busy at home and it's eating up all my writing time! Thanks again to Tripp3235 for reading all of this and for generally letting me drive her insane. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Enjoy!

**Chapter 7**

When Kendall got up that afternoon he was in a much better mood. Both Logan and Kelly were at the table, each in front of a laptop, with the air of having sat motionless for hours.

"Carlos and James back yet?" Kendall asked, sitting on the couch and turning on the television.

Kelly gave him a quick double take, alerted to his presence not by his question, but by the sound of the television.

"How's your arm?" she asked instead of answering him.

"Better."

"Do you need anything for it?" she asked, her eyes back on her laptop.

"Nah," Kendall said, dismissing the idea entirely. "It'll just make me sleepy again. If it's bad tonight, I'll take something then."

Kelly nodded.

"So, Carlos and James are..." Kendall tried again, purposely dragging out his words.

"On their way back," Kelly finished, closing her laptop and turning to face him. "I thought we could all get out of here for awhile. Dinner and movie? There's a shopping center down the street."

"That sounds... "

Kelly's phone rang and she immediately popped up out of her chair after checking the number and raced out of the room.

"...great," Kendall continued, watching her go with some confusion.

"What?" Logan asked, finally looking up and realizing Kendall was in the room.

"Never mind," Kendall told him, taking Kelly's seat at the table. "How's that going?"

"Good," Logan answered with a shrug, his eyes never leaving the screen for very long.

"Well, if you can drag yourself away from that for a few hours, I think Kelly is taking us all out tonight."

"Sure," Logan sighed, shutting the laptop and leaning back as far as his chair allowed. "Why not."

"Don't get too excited," Kendall said sarcastically. He wasn't sure if he should be worried about Logan or just annoyed with him.

"Sorry about that," Kelly said, coming back into the room just in time, looking strangely subdued. "I'm still working out some... details for this week."

"Carlos's party?" Logan asked.

Before Kelly could ask how he'd known about that, Kendall said, "I told him."

"Well, that's part of it," Kelly said, rubbing her eyes. "I still have no idea what -"

Kelly stopped abruptly as the door opened, bringing Carlos and James back into the room.

"Hey, guys," she said, too quickly and too brightly. "How was your day?"

"Great," Carlos said, sitting on the couch.

"There was this..." James began to say, but was cut off by Logan's phone beeping loudly, again. "Still?"

"Sorry," Logan said sharply, getting up and leaving the room.

"We were thinking about going out to dinner and maybe to a movie," Kelly said after a long pause. "You two up to that?"

"Is Logan bringing his phone?" James asked seriously.

"Give him a break," Carlos said, slapping him on the arm before Kelly had the chance to do it herself.

"I already got the break," Kendall deadpanned.

Carlos laughed, but Kelly only managed a smile. James still looked irritable.

"He's going to be like this the whole summer," James continued on, dropping his voice to a near whisper. "You know he is. Probably worse."

"Well," Carlos said with a shrug, "he can't help it. I mean, it's Logan, right?"

"Carlos is right," Kendall said, the beginnings of guilt starting to form in his stomach. "We're not being very fair. Besides, he's not hurting anyone."

James still looked doubtful.

"And he's here because you wanted to do this," Kelly said pointedly. There was a harshness in her voice that caught them all by surprise.

"Sorry," James said softly.

Kelly put her hand up over her mouth, in a gesture Carlos recognized at once, and waved James off as if it was unimportant. She turned her back on them almost immediately and walked a few steps towards the door.

This time Kendall hit James on the arm and whispered, "I told you we need to be helping Kelly not making things worse."

"I didn't do anything," James pleaded in the same low voice Kendall had used.

"Kelly?" Carlos said tentatively, getting up and following her. He'd unfortunately seen Kelly upset enough times to know that she was right now, and he doubted if a minor argument between James and Logan was enough of a reason to cause this kind of reaction. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine," she said, taking a deep breath and turning towards him. She put her hand on his forearm and gave him a gentle squeeze. "I am. These last few days have just been really hectic and... and I think we all need to get out for awhile. Okay?"

"What's going on?" Logan asked, having come out of the bedroom.

"Come on," Kelly said with as much energy as she could manage. "Let's go."

They'd stayed out later than Kelly had planned on, but it had been worth a little less sleep to have everyone together, having fun, and not fighting for once. Dinner had been great, the movie awful, but no one had complained and by the time Kelly said goodnight outside of their door, she felt a lot better about the week to come than she had just a few hours earlier.

The next day the positive outlook continued all the way through breakfast and their first in-studio practice. While the guys practiced, Kelly made a few phone calls and sent numerous emails, but despite everything she had gotten done, the things she'd hoped to accomplish the most were just not happening. And, with that, her mood grew steadily worse.

Her planned surprise, something that was entirely her idea - blessed by Gustavo - was not working out at all like she wanted. And if not worse, at least as big of a disaster as her other surprise, Kelly still had absolutely not idea what to do for Carlos on his birthday. She could easily think of a hundred things Carlos would like to do for his birthday, but none of them seemed good enough.

And then there was the little matter of Tracey's replacement, who had arrived just after lunch, and whom Kelly already disliked. No, not disliked. Kelly hated her.

Finally done for the day, Kelly met the guys just outside the studio with the recently arrived hire.

They all took one look at her froze.

She was tall, very tall, and like Tracey, probably close to Kelly's age. She was slender and dressed like she might be on her way out for dinner, not for an office. Her hair was long and so blond it was almost yellow. Her features were all as sharp as her blue eyes, and altogether she looked more like a model than an executive assistant.

"This is Julia," Kelly said as cheerfully as she could. "She's -"

"Thank you, Kelly," Julia interrupted with a smile on her lips. "So nice to meet you, but really, I thought you'd be older. You said they were young men," she said, giving a little laugh as she turned back to Kelly, "but they are positively babies. I can't believe it."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Kendall said, already tired and irritated by the ache in his wrist and a long day of practice.

Without saying any more, he turned and left the building, choosing to wait in the car. James followed suit with Logan only a few seconds behind him. Carlos alone stayed, more for Kelly's sake than because he felt any inclination to try and get to know Julia any better.

"Nice to meet you," he said uncertainly.

"What was that about?" Julia asked Kelly in a huff, ignoring Carlos completely.

"I think that was about you not getting this job," Kelly answered, walking to the door now herself, taking Carlos with her. "Have a nice trip back to Los Angeles. The studio will reimburse you for your time."

"Sorry about that, Kelly," Kendall said once she'd gotten in the car with them, a little embarrassed by his own behavior. "I'm just..."

"Save it," Kelly said, cutting him off. "She was awful. Trust me. I had to talk to her a lot more than you did. It's no loss."

The ride back to the hotel was a long one. The studio wasn't far away, but the traffic in Vegas was nearly at a standstill. They all looked exhausted, so Kelly was surprised to hear them discussing plans for the night. She tuned them out in favor of her email, trying to get at least one more thing checked off her to do list. Kelly didn't know how they did it; all she wanted to do was go to sleep.

"Are you coming with us?" James asked, and it took a minute for Kelly to register that he was talking to her.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked.

"We're going to go check out the rollercoaster at New York, New York," James repeated.

"Because no one will ride the one at the Stratosphere," Carlos interjected.

"And then grab something to eat before calling it a night," James finished as if Carlos hadn't said anything. "Do you want to come with us?"

"No, why don't you go without me," Kelly answered, feeling they might only be inviting her to be polite. "Just, stick together and let me know when you get back. And do not be out late."

"How late is late?" Kendall asked.

"Ten o'clock," Kelly answered sternly.

They'd all agreed and Kelly watched them off with only a small amount of regret, but assumed that, by this point, they were all tired of her tagging along. It wasn't exactly true. None of them minded much having her around. She could be tough, but Kelly mostly knew when to let them run free and when to rein them in.

They had a good time checking out some of the crazier signs on the Strip, ducking in and out of the casinos when they could, and generally having fun together in a way they hadn't in a long time.

After riding the rollercoaster and getting something to eat, as they'd planned, instead of heading back up to their room for the night, they decided to swing by the pool.

"You know," Kendall said as he sat down in one of the chairs, "this really is kind of awesome."

"Yeah," Carlos agreed. "I could get used to this."

"Told you so," James said.

"It's not bad," Logan half-heartedly agreed, earning reproving looks from the others.

"What is wrong with you?" James asked.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong with me," Logan fired back at him, instantly defensive. "I just have other things..."

"We know," Kendall interrupted, but without being mean. "But, come on, Logan. Can't you just enjoy yourself for five minutes?"

"I am."

None of them argued back, but it was clear that they didn't believe him either and an uneasy silence spread out between them.

"So," Carlos began, but the sound of Kendall's name being called out from nearby stopped him and they all turned as one to see who it was.

"Jo?" Kendall asked, as if he didn't believe it, getting quickly to his feet and pulling her into a tight embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm performing," she said with a huge smile, "same as you are. Kelly has been working with my manager and the event coordinator here to make it happen."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, sounding happy for once at not being in on a secret.

"Because it was a surprise," she said, and he bent down and gave her a quick kiss. "We just got here this afternoon."

"We?" Kendall asked, looking around and half expecting everyone he knew from the Palms to pop up.

"Yeah," Jo answered, finally stepping out of his embrace and smiling at the rest of the guys who were now milling around behind Kendall. "My mom brought me and she let me bring a friend, so..."

Logan had no doubt who that friend was, and even began to look around hopefully for Camille, when Stephanie showed up instead.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **First, I'm sorry I took so long in getting this chapter up. I decided, almost immediately after I posted chapter seven that I wanted to go a different route with some things that happen later in the story. So, I've been editing and redoing the eight chapters that follow this one and finally have it to where I want it to be. You'd think I'd learn my lesson and not begin posting until I was finished with a story completely, but no. Anyway, it's fixed. I'm happy. I hope you are, too. And I hope you enjoy - thanks!

**Chapter 8**

They'd all gone back up to the room after their meeting by the pool, and under the pretense of getting some of his course work done, Logan snuck off into the bedroom and called Camille instead.

"I'm sorry. I really wanted to come," Camille said on the other end of the line. "I was packed and everything and then the lead for the part I understudy got sick and..."

"No, I get it," Logan said quickly, still disappointed but knowing he couldn't expect Camille to pass up any acting opportunities that came her way, no matter what. "It's good."

"I wanted to call you and tell you first, but since Jo wanted it to be a surprise..."

"Don't worry about it," Logan said easily. "I just... I miss you and I thought..."

"I miss you, too," Camille said quickly. "But, you'll be home on Sunday, right?"

"Yeah, that's the plan," Logan answered, trying to sound more cheerful than he felt.

"And, I'll see you then," she continued, the words almost a question.

"Of course."

"Good," Camille said and then sighed. "I hate to cut this short but I'm actually on my way to rehearsal right now."

"No, yeah. If you have to go..." Logan said, his words dragging out into silence.

This was the part where he should have said something like, 'I love you' but he couldn't bring himself to do it. The last, and first, time he'd said that to her, Camille hadn't exactly reacted the way he'd expected her to. And she hadn't said it back either.

"Goodnight," Camille finally offered.

"Goodnight," Logan repeated, disconnecting the call and tossing the phone aside feeling worse than before.

Knowing he'd get nothing done for the rest of the night, Logan joined the rest of his friends in the living area of the suite.

"I thought you were doing your summer school stuff," Kendall said as Logan sat down at the table with him and Jo.

"It's not summer school," Logan said mildly.

"She really wanted to come," Jo said, lowering her voice and guessing correctly that he'd just talked with Camille.

Logan shrugged, but part of him felt that if Camille really wanted to come, she'd be there now.

"Okay," Kelly's voice called suddenly from the entranceway. "There are girls in this room. Wasn't there a rule about that?"

"No," Kendall said, shaking his head with a smile. "You said there would be no girls you didn't know personally and approve of in this room."

"Hi, Jo," Kelly said with a real smile.

"Thank you so much for arranging this," Jo said, getting up and giving her a hug. "I'm so excited."

"Don't thank me, your agent pulled it off. But, I was glad to help," Kelly said sincerely, before turning somewhat surprised to the other girl in the room who was sitting between Carlos and James, watching a movie.

"I don't know her," she said first to Kendall. And then, turning back to the trio on the couch, repeated, "I don't know you." Kelly, like Logan, had been expecting Camille.

"Hi," Stephanie said, hopping to her feet and reaching out to shake her hand. "I'm Stephanie."

"Nice to meet you," Kelly said, with half a glance at Carlos who appeared to be momentarily embarrassed.

"So," James said with a half-teasing smile, "does she meet your approval?"

"I trust Jo's taste in friends," Kelly answered with a smile of her own.

"She's our friend too, you know," Kendall added, as if that might tip the balance in the other direction.

"Like I said," Kelly said evenly, "I trust Jo."

Trusting or not, Kelly felt it was her responsibility to stay and act as chaperone until the girls left for the night. She tried to busy herself and stay out of the way, even leaving the room a few times and lingering in her own, so as to give them all some reasonable time alone without an adult hovering over them.

They ended up staying until just after ten o'clock, everyone except Kelly having settled in to watch a movie. Kendall walked back with Jo and Stephanie to their room, and by the time he got back, Kelly was the only one still waiting up.

"Was this your big surprise?" Kendall asked her with a smirk.

"Some of it," she admitted as she began to gather up her things to leave them for the night. "How'd I do?"

"Great," Kendall answered. "Well, except I'm really the only one who got surprised."

"I'm taking care of everyone else, too," Kelly assured him. "Oh, and before I forget, I printed off a new schedule. We're going into the studio a bit later tomorrow, so it might be a long day. And the rehearsal on Wednesday got moved up an hour, so we're just going to spend the day here. I figured between that and the party -"

"Party?" Kendall interrupted. "Is this..."

"No," Kelly answered, looking over her shoulder towards the room Carlos and James were sharing. "Not that. This is a different one, hosted by the casino for all the performers."

"And you're letting us go to it?"

"Yes, I am," she sighed.

"Does my mom know about this?" he asked semi-seriously.

"Yes," Kelly said. "I asked and she's okay with it as long as I'm there. And I will be so..."

"We'll behave."

"Excellent," Kelly said as she headed towards the door. "Oh, hey. Wait a minute," she said, doubling back and lowering her voice.

"What's up?"

"How well does your mom know everyone else's parents?"

"Why?" Kendall asked, growing suspicious. "You're not going to call them all up about this party, are you?"

"No, no," Kelly said, shaking her head. "Nothing like that." She paused, considering it. "Why, do you think I should?"

"No," he answered quickly.

"Okay," she said, smiling and letting the joke go. "Actually, I was thinking of getting everyone together when the tour stops in Minneapolis. I thought your mom might be able to help me organize it since I've never met any of them myself."

"Yeah," Kendall said, sounding excited. "I'm sure she'd love to help."

"So, she's pretty good friends with them?"

"I guess."

"Oh?"

"Well, she's good friends with Mrs. Garcia, but Carlos's family lives a few blocks away from us and we go to the same church, so we've known them forever."

"What about James and Logan's parents?"

"She knows them well enough. I mean, they talk a lot more now that all this is going on, but before... I don't know."

"So if I was having a problem with one of them she might not be able to help?"

"It depends," Kendall answered, beginning to wonder what she was really getting at. "Why?"

"Curiosity."

"Uh, huh," he said, a skeptical smile playing across his lips.

"Never mind," Kelly said dismissively. "I'll talk to your mother myself tomorrow. Thanks."

"What -"

"Nothing," Kelly said quickly over her shoulder as she walked to the door. "It's nothing. Goodnight, Kendall."

"Goodnight," he called after her, returning to his room.

Kendall opened the door and was surprised to find the light on and Logan sitting up in his own bed with his laptop perched precariously on his knees.

"I thought you went to sleep," Kendall said as he moved across the room and into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for bed.

"I was," Logan answered. "And then I got a text reminding me that I hadn't finished this paper yet and it's due on Wednesday. So..."

Logan trailed off gradually. Kendall, waited a few minutes before popping his head out of the door, half expecting to find Logan asleep. But he wasn't. He was still sitting up, mouth half open, staring at the computer screen.

"So?" Kendall prompted.

"Oh," Logan said, rubbing his eyes and giving his head a brief shake. "So, I thought I'd get it done tonight, that way I don't have to worry about it tomorrow."

"Okay," Kendall said, shutting the light off in the bathroom and flopping across his own bed.

"I'm almost done," Logan continued. "Or, if the light is bothering you I can go in the other room."

"Nah, it's fine," Kendall said, fighting down a yawn. "We're not going in to the studio till after lunch."

"Really?"

"Don't get too excited," Kendall laughed. "Kelly thinks we'll be there till seven or eight."

"This whole trip has completely wrecked my schedule," Logan said as he stopped typing long enough to rub his eyes again.

"You know what I'm going to say."

"And you know what I'm going to say," Logan countered. "Kind of makes this conversation pointless."

"Yeah," Kendall agreed, yawning as he pulled back the covers and climbed into his bed. "But you're doing too much. Logan, really, just drop a few classes. They're just electives, they can't be that important. You're going to burn out before Saturday at this rate."

"Well, when I do," Logan said, unable to keep the bitterness completely out of his voice, his eyes fixed steadily on the screen, "you can all say you told me so and then find something new to complain about."

Kendall held his tongue, content to merely roll his eyes before he shifted around in bed for a few minutes, trying to get comfortable despite his cast.

"I'll go in the other room," Logan said, getting quickly to his feet after slamming the lid down his laptop.

"Whatever," Kendall said he left the room, too tired to try and decipher his friend's mood any longer.

Logan placed his laptop on the table where he'd been doing most of his work, but instead of sitting down and working, he moved to the couch. Sprawling out across the cushions, he took in a deep breath and tried to relax. Not that it worked.

He knew he was in over his head and that Kendall was right. He couldn't keep this up. It hadn't even been a week, and Logan was already behind and showing the strain. But what else could he do?


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **Thanks, Tripp3235 for the help! Longer notes at the bottom...

**Chapter 9**

Logan spent half the night on the couch and the other half finishing off his first paper. By the time everyone else was awake and starting their day, Logan was already exhausted. As expected, Jo and Stephanie showed up in time for breakfast, and he was the only one no where near ready to go.

"We can wait," Kendall offered, feeling guilty about their near-argument and the fact that Logan had never come back to the room last night.

"No, go ahead," Logan said, without really looking any of them in the eyes. "I've still got to shower and I'll catch up with you."

"Yeah, but Kelly doesn't want any of us going off alone," Carlos said, looking anxious.

"I'll wait," James said quickly, sitting back down on the couch.

"You sure?" Kendall asked, worried that James might not be the best person to deal with Logan at the moment.

"Of course I am," James answered dismissively, picking up a magazine and thumbing through it. "I'm not hungry yet, anyway. Just don't take all morning, Logan. Okay?"

"Sure," Logan said, rolling his eyes as he headed off to get ready.

"We'll see you guys soon then," Kendall said, throwing James a wave.

"Go, before I change my mind," he called after them, then tossing the magazine aside and turning on the television.

The truth was James was also starting to feel a little guilty for giving Logan such a hard time. He knew that his own attitude towards Logan wasn't just because he seemed bent on having absolutely no fun whatsoever and that a good deal of the problem between them was of James's own making. James was trying to fix that issue if he could. And he was certain, with time, he would get over what was really bothering him that in reality wasn't Logan's fault at all. Besides all of that keeping him in the room at the moment, there was also the way Stephanie had been looking at Carlos last night. James didn't want to end up the fifth person on what was essentially a double date. Life suddenly felt very complicated, and James didn't do complicated very well.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, James wandered over to Logan's work station and began to rifle through his text books in an effort to see exactly what he found so fascinating about all of it. Sitting down, he picked up the first one and frowned.

"What are you doing?" Logan asked, sounding startled to find James looking at his things.

"I was going to ask you that," James returned, holding up the book with a puzzled expression.

"It's a book, James," Logan said, snatching it out of his hand and putting it back into his backpack. "You've seen one before."

"Cute," James said sarcastically. "But you know what I mean," he continued, taking another book off the table and holding it up. "Didn't you take this class?"

"No."

"Yes, you did, because I remember you boring me to death about hypertension."

"Hypotenuses," Logan said through gritted teeth, as he snatched the new book from James's grip.

"Whatever," James said, shrugging his shoulders. "It still doesn't explain why you're taking this course again."

"I like math," Logan said, not looking up as he put the book away. His face growing steadily redder.

"So much that you're going to redo an entire year's worth of work in one summer?"

"Yes," Logan said shortly.

"But, why?"

"Why do you care?" Logan snapped, rounding on him, suddenly very angry. "It doesn't concern you. It's my business and my time, so just stay out of it."

"Logan, if it's that important to you, fine," James said, trying to gloss it over as quickly as possible. "I was just curious."

"Well... don't be," Logan snapped. "You probably couldn't understand it if you wanted to."

"Hey, that's... "

James trailed off, shaking his head, and Logan knew it had been an awful thing to say, but it was also the only way to shut James up. James wasn't stupid, he just didn't apply himself; Logan knew that, too. Still, this was the last thing he wanted to talk about and Logan needed to redirect James's attention one way or another.

"You know what?" James asked, folding his arms and abandoning his newfound plans for being more patient. Suddenly all of James's pent up anger felt justified. "You're kind of a jerk."

"Guess what?" Logan asked as he finished putting his books away and took his backpack into the bedroom. "I don't care what you think."

"Of course you don't. Because you really don't care what anyone thinks," James said, following him and more determined to fight with him than Logan had counted on. "It's all about what you think, or what your parents think, and that's a far as you think."

"That doesn't even make any sense."

"And considering I'm supposed to be the one that's so full of myself," James continued, "you're the one with the big head."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Logan asked, tossing the bag on his bed and wheeling on James.

"I thought you didn't care what I thought?"

"Just get out of my way," Logan said, standing back and waiting for James to get out of the doorway he'd followed him in through.

"No."

"James, I'm not kidding. Move."

"Make me."

"I'm not going to play this childish game with you," Logan said, gritting his teeth. "Just move already."

"Oh, I'm not playing," James returned, not budging an inch.

Logan shut his eyes briefly as he dropped and shook his head before he took the three steps needed to close the gap between them.

"Get out of my way," Logan said.

"No."

"James, I mean it."

"If you really meant it," James said, completely serious, "you'd have moved me already."

That did it. Logan pushed James as hard as he felt was necessary, across his shoulder, but it wasn't enough to do more than momentarily knock him off balance. James just smiled and shrugged it off, before giving Logan a quick shove back that he wasn't expecting. After that it was bedlam as they each shove got progressively worse until the two of them were having an actual physical fight.

"Whoa!" Kelly yelled, coming through the door in a hurry and breaking them up. She'd heard the commotion from out in the hallway. "What do you two think you are doing?"

"He started it," they both said at the same time before turning to glare at one another and seemingly ready to start fighting again.

"Well I'm stopping it," Kelly said, loud but no longer yelling, as she stood between them. "What happened?" Both of them again started talking at once, each drowning out the others words, until finally Kelly shook her head in frustration. "Stop. Stop," she said. "James, go to your room. I'll be there in a minute."

James hesitated for a moment before leaving the room. Kelly watched his progress and once he'd shut the door on the other side of the suite, shut the door to the room they were still in and turned back to Logan.

"What happened?" Kelly asked, arms crossed and her expression neutral.

"He wouldn't leave me alone. He was in my things and asking a bunch of stupid questions about stuff that have absolutely nothing to do with him. And if he'd have just left it alone... but he can't. Because he's James, and he has to bug me and... and..."

As Logan's anger began to evaporate, Kelly waited, eyebrow cocked, knowing he'd get there on his own.

"I overreacted," Logan said simply.

"You think?" Kelly said, as if that part was obvious.

"I couldn't..." he started to say, but Kelly shook her head and he quickly stopped. "Okay, I could have stopped myself," he admitted, knowing full well that he'd goaded James into a fight he didn't really want to have. "But this isn't entirely my fault, just mostly. I probably said some things I shouldn't have, but he doesn't have to be so aggravating. He's always pushing my buttons and..."

"Listen," Kelly sighed, feeling the need to say something before Logan completely worked himself up again. "I know this situation isn't easy. The four of you have been living together for awhile and in kind of tight quarters. And now, well, I'm not going to lie, it's going to be worse. Between the tour bus and the hotels and the constant travel..."

"Is this supposed to be encouraging?"

"...you're going to fight. A lot. Over petty stuff like whose socks are whose and how loud the television is. And it won't be easy but..."

"Why would anyone take my socks?"

"...my point is," Kelly continued, fixing him with a 'be serious' stare, "that you've got to overlook some of these smaller things and try to get along. No matter what."

"They're labeled so I don't see how they'd get mixed up."

"Focus," Kelly said sharply.

"Sorry. Okay, yeah. I get what you're saying, but I did try and walk away from this. I... I did start it but I wasn't... I just wanted him to leave me alone. That's it. I don't want to fight but..."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Logan answered, looking down at his feet as he shook head. "I guess I'm just tired and... I don't know. I'll apologize to James."

"No, wait a minute," Kelly said, grabbing him by the arm as he made to leave the room. "Logan, be honest with me, is there something else or..."

"No, there's not," he sighed. "I just, you know... I'm not..."

"What?"

"I may have..." he began, but couldn't finish. Logan couldn't bring himself to admit the truth. "It's nothing."

"You can tell me."

"Well... okay, it's the courses."

"Harder than you thought?"

"Yes," Logan said with relief. "And I can't seem to get anything done. I'm already behind and I don't know what I'm going to do. My parents -" He'd started talking before he'd really known he would, but wasn't ready yet for a full confession.

"They expect a lot from you," Kelly finished, more or less right.

"They do," he said, more or less telling the truth.

"Do you want to hear what I think you should do or -"

"Just tell me," Logan interrupted, with a small smile.

"You should drop the courses," Kelly said with a nod. "And, I know coming from me that might sound like I'm more concerned about the tour than I am about you, but..."

"I know you're not."

"...I'm not," Kelly finished with a smile. "I know this isn't what you want to do with your life and I can appreciate the dedication you show to your education, but you can't do it all. It's been less than a week and look at you. You're exhausted. You're fighting with everyone. It's too much pressure."

Logan nodded, still looking at his feet.

"I can't tell you what to do, but I will say as your temporary guardian, I think I'm right about this."

"My parents..."

"Aren't here," Kelly said sharply, for the first time her words came out harsh. "They left it to Mrs. Knight, and to me, to watch over you right now..."

"Kelly, I..."

"And I know you are mature enough to do a lot of that yourself," Kelly finished for him. "You make good decisions most of the time, but this isn't one of them. And I guarantee you that if Mrs. Knight was here right now she'd be saying the same thing I am."

"I just want everyone..."

"To be happy" Kelly said with a laugh.

"Something like that," he said, far too serious. "I know it's pretty stupid."

"No, it's not stupid," Kelly said, the laughter gone from her features. "I'm the same way. I hate disappointing people and I hate it when I have to ask for help. But if there is one thing I've learned over the years is that it's okay to do that, because we all need some help every now and then."

"I'll think about it."

"Logan," Kelly said. "You'll be making a bigger mistake if you keep thinking your friends aren't going to be supportive of you, no matter what. They may tease you and push your buttons, but it's because they love you. They all want you to do well, we all do."

"Lately that's been hard to remember."

"I know," she said, "but it's true. Please, trust me. It's true."

"You're right," Logan said with a sigh. "You're pretty much always right. And kind of awesome. But you probably know that too."

"I do," she said, smiling.

"I can see why Carlos..." Logan began to say without thinking as he looked up, stopping and facing Kelly who was wearing the same stunned and embarrassed expression as he was. "Why don't I just shut up."

"Um..." Kelly said, looking nervously around the room. "Yeah, well, I'm going to just go and talk to James now."

"Kelly, I really didn't mean to say that."

"Out loud?"

"Well, yeah."

"It's fine," she said, backing into the door. "Just don't... I'm doing everything I can not to..."

"No one thinks any differently," he assured her. "He's just... you know."

"Still?" Kelly asked, looking dejected. "I kind of thought that girl and him..."

"Stephanie?" Logan asked. "Well, yeah, I kind of think so too, but..."

"But what?"

"Kelly, you set the bar ridiculously high as far as first crushes go."

"That's not what I needed to hear, Logan."

"I'm just telling you the truth," he said, unable to laugh a little bit at this strange reversal that was occurring.

"Okay, fine. Since you're telling me the truth, which I appreciate, do I need to do something different? Am I doing anything at all that seems..." Kelly paused, searching for the right word, "misleading?"

"No," Logan said at once. "I think he's just going to have to move on on his own."

"And this Stephanie girl? She's all right?"

"She is," Logan assured her.

"Just checking," Kelly said, with a nod of her head.

"And you... you're all right too?"

"Yep."

"And you'll consider it? Really? Dropping the classes."

"I will," Logan lied, nervously rubbing the back of his neck and not quite able to meet her eyes, but Kelly was too embarrassed to notice.

"Okay," she smiled as she left the room, leaving Logan alone while she straightened things out with James.

Logan sat on the bed and sighed, dropping his head into his hands and wondering how much worse this could get.

* * *

**Review Notes: **I Like Chocolate Milk (which, btw - I do!) - I wanted to drop you a PM, but your review isn't "signed in" so I couldn't... so I thought I'd drop you one here! Thanks for your reviews, and while I know you may not like where this story is heading re: Carlos, please stick around because my overall endgame for this will be something you like! Also, re: Jo - I wrote all of this before S2 started, so I picked Jo's career off of what the actress who plays her does. Thanks again for your reviews!


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes:** Sorry for keeping anyone still reading this waiting. Thank you readers, reviewers, everyone! I'm hoping to begin posting more often with this one and to be finished soon and on to the next. Thanks, Tripp3235 for the help! Happy Halloween, and enjoy!

**Chapter 10**

Logan kept his promise to Kelly and after she talked with James, he had apologized. James did as well and they reached a temporary understanding that they would try harder to get along, or in the very least, not go out of their way to antagonize one another. James was as eager as Logan was to drop the whole thing and get back to normal, which was all Kelly could ask for. After a very quick breakfast they all headed into the studio and ended up having a great rehearsal. As promised, the day was long and included a conference call with Gustavo who sounded pleased by their progress, but by the end of it everyone was exhausted when they got back to the rooms.

Despite their exhaustion, Kendall decided to go hang out with Jo in her room, with her mom present, which Kelly confirmed first before approving. Stephanie came over to hang out with James, Carlos and Logan, and the four of them quickly decided to head over to the Excalibur which had a massive arcade room where they could hang out until curfew. Because of their earlier fight, James had gone out of his way to make sure Logan felt invited and Logan, realizing no one was going to let up about the amount of work he'd taken on, decided it was for the best if he just went along.

"Just be back..." Kelly started to say, but the guys all beat her to the punch.

"By ten," they chorused. "We know."

The night was still warm but it was a short walk. James and Logan did their best to follow behind Carlos and Stephanie, but Carlos kept slowing down and looking back like he couldn't understand what was taking them so long. Once there they mostly stuck together in a group, but the place was packed with kids their own age, so it wasn't always possible.

James immediately started talking to a couple of girls who were giggly past the point of endurance in Logan's opinion, but he stuck by his side, keeping to the agreement he'd reached with him earlier and more than willing to give Carlos as much alone time as possible with Stephanie. It mostly seemed to be working, because Stephanie was certainly flirting with Carlos. It was pretty clear now that she did like him. The problem was getting Carlos to realize it.

Carlos, whose habit of dependence kept drawing him over to wherever James and Logan wandered off to, kept following them for most of the night. Finally James, on the pretext of getting everyone something to drink, took Carlos with him, leaving Logan alone with Stephanie.

"Dude," James said as soon as they were out of earshot, "you've got to stop."

"What?" Carlos asked, looking around him as if James might be talking to someone else entirely.

"Don't you see that Stephanie wants to be alone with you?"

Carlos stopped looking around him and instead fixed James with a disbelieving look.

"Logan and I are trying to give you some space, but it's really hard to do if you keep dragging her back over to us."

"Are you... why?"

"Why?" James asked, unable to keep himself from smiling just a little bit. "Because she likes you."

"What? You can't know that?"

"She's been flirting with you all night."

"No, she hasn't."

"You know," James said, shaking his head slowly, "you're almost as thick as Logan is about this sort of thing. And I only say almost because at least Stephanie is subtle about it, so there's your excuse. Camille had to practically hit Logan over the head..."

"Okay, forget Logan and Camille for a minute," Carlos interrupted, beginning to look a little panic-stricken.

"I wish," James murmured.

"What do I do?" Carlos asked, missing James's comment completely.

"Do?"

"Yes, James," Carlos said, his voice sharp. "Do. What do I do?"

"Just hang out with her."

"That's it?"

"That's it," James repeated. "She already likes you. Just see where it goes."

"I can do that."

"Of course you can," James said reassuringly, patting him on the back before they returned with drinks in hand.

Everyone smiled awkwardly at one another for a minute before James turned and pointed off at nothing and said, "Hey, Logan. Look at that. Let's go."

"Smooth," Logan muttered under his breath at they made there retreat.

"I can't do everything," James said in return.

Carlos smiled at Stephanie who was now blushing, having more or less figured out what was going on.

"So," Carlos said, "do you want to play some games?"

"Yeah," Stephanie said with a smile, still a little embarrassed but trying to put it behind her.

Gradually the tension between them eased as they talked about movies and sports. Stephanie told him all about growing up in Florida and Carlos explained the beauty of snow days in Minnesota. After about an hour James and Logan returned briefly to say that they were headed back to the hotel and, without even being prompted to, Carlos suggested to Stephanie that they stay a little longer by themselves. She'd happily agreed and it wasn't until a quarter to ten that they decided to leave.

"I didn't know you were so good at basketball."

"Well," Stephanie said with a smile, "my dad is a huge sports fan and he'd probably wanted a boy, but he got me so he made the most of it. I actually played on my varsity team in high school, but film is what I really want to do."

"That's cool. Oh, and thanks again," he said, holding up the stuffed animal she'd won him at the arcade. "It's cute."

"You're welcome," Stephanie said with a laugh. "Consider it an early birthday present."

Carlos smiled and thanked her again, blushing as their hands brushed together as they walked side by side. After the third time their knuckles just grazed one another's, Carlos took the initiative and took hold of her hand in his.

They walked all the way up to the room she was staying at with Jo and her mother like that, not even dropping hands in the elevator, but both a little too self conscious about it to look at each other too much. They'd kept up the small talk, but it was stilted and tense, but in a good way. Carlos was worried his hand was sweating, but when he tried to adjust it, to make certain, Stephanie shifted her hand within his and interlocked their fingers.

"This is me," Stephanie said as they stopped in front of the door and faced one another. "Thanks, I had fun."

"Me, too," Carlos agreed, not willing to quite let go of Stephanie's hand just yet. It was too nice. So instead he took hold of the tips of her fingers and absentmindedly pulling her closer as he did so. "Thanks again for the gift."

"You've got to name him, you know," Stephanie said, clearly joking as she looked first at the stuffed animal and then their hands, smiling brighter than before.

"You name your stuffed animals?" Carlos asked, laughing.

"Not really," Stephanie admitted. "Well, not since I was very little."

They both laughed again and Carlos could not think of another thing to say as his mind went inexplicably blank.

"I should probably get inside," Stephanie finally said, motioning towards the door with a flick of her head.

"Yeah, me too," Carlos said. "Well, no. Not me too. I meant, I should probably get back to my room. I don't need to go... Um..."

"You're cute," Stephanie said with a smile.

"When I'm babbling like an idiot or..."

"All the time," Stephanie finished for him with a nod.

"Thank you," Carlos said, blushing deeply. "You're... um, so... this party tomorrow night. You're going?"

"Yes."

"And I'm going," Carlos continued, finding himself steadily leaning forward as he spoke.

"I've heard," Stephanie said, taking a half a step in his direction as his hand slid out of hers and up towards her elbow.

"So, maybe we could go together?"

"I'd like that a lot," Stephanie answered, tilting her head up towards his as they were now only a few inches apart.

"Me, too," Carlos said, taking in a short breath and shutting his eyes as moved to close the distance between their mouths, ending in a kiss.

"Oh," came Kendall's voice, sounding more amused than sorry as he opened the door and found them there, pulling away and blushing. "Um... hi."

"Goodnight, Carlos," Stephanie said, ducking past Kendall and into the room without looking back.

"Goodnight," Carlos called after her just before the door shut.

"I'm sorry," Kendall said with a laugh as he turned with Carlos towards the elevators. "I didn't know you'd be, you know, making out in the hallway."

"We weren't," Carlos said defensively. "It was just... it was... and I didn't know, either."

"Relax," Kendall said, knocking him on the shoulder.

Carlos shrugged him off, but despite being embarrassed, he was also rather pleased. He did like Stephanie, the bonus being she really seemed to like him back.

Kendall didn't pry, but the entire way back to the room he kept smiling at Carlos in a goofy way as if he couldn't wait to tell James and Logan.

"It's about time," Kelly said, making a show of checking her watch, but with a smile on her face. "I was beginning to worry."

"We're ten minutes late," Kendall said dismissively.

"And?"

"And what?" Carlos said, immediately feeling and looking guilty.

Kelly raised her eyebrow at him, but Kendall covered quickly.

"We're sorry," Kendall said, putting on his best smile.

"Okay," Kelly returned, still looking at Carlos a little funny as he shifted nervously on the couch.

"Real quick, guys," Kelly called so that Logan looked up from his laptop and James paused his game. "Tomorrow is our rehearsal at the venue. And then..."

"The party," James finished with a smile.

"Tomorrow night," Kelly said, shutting her eyes briefly and giving him a little nod. "I can not stress this enough, but, you have to be on your very best behavior. Not only because this party is being held in a place where under normal circumstances none of you would be allowed into, but because a lot of important people will be there. And reporters."

"We'll behave," Kendall said, it was becoming his mantra. "Kelly, honestly. We know already."

"Yes," she agreed, "but... okay, the reporters. These are not the kind you are used to and, I'm kind of counting on the fact that Big Time Rush isn't big time yet, that you'll go relatively unnoticed, but..."

"But what?" Logan asked, looking concerned.

"Reporters that go to these kinds of events aren't there to interview you," she said, sitting down again in the arm chair. "They're there to get gossip. They'll want to make you look bad."

"Not all..." James started to say, but Kelly just shook her head at him slowly.

"Dirt sells," she said simply. "So, please, don't give them any material. I'm not saying this to ruin your night," Kelly said, looking from James to Kendall. "Or to make you nervous," she said, looking from Logan to Carlos. "I just want you to be aware of it and to be cautious. Got it?"

"Got it," they repeated after her.

"Good," she said, getting back to her feet. "Goodnight, guys."

"Goodnight," they all called after her.

As soon as the door shut on Kelly, all of the guys turned and looked at Carlos expectantly.

"What?" he asked, trying purposefully to misunderstand their sudden attention.

"What happened with Stephanie?" James asked.

Carlos started to say 'nothing' but the fact that Kendall still had that stupid smirk on his face made lying impossible.

"We've kind of made a date for this party," Carlos admitted under the intense scrutiny.

"And?" Logan asked, shutting his laptop and joining the rest of them in the living room section of the suite.

"You too?" Carlos asked, looking at Logan as if he'd at least expected him not to be half as nosey as the others were.

"Yeah," Logan said as if he should have expected it. "I got hell for weeks from you three about Camille. It's payback time. Now, spill."

"It's really nothing," Carlos said. "We had a lot of fun. We talked and might have kissed a little."

"Did you at least take off the helmet first?" James asked with mock sincerity.

"Shut up," Carlos said, taking it off now and throwing it at him.

James laughed as he caught it.

"Hey," Logan said, laughing along with them, "if she kissed him with it on, that's like half the battle. He's golden now."

"Kendall?" Carlos said, turning to him as a last resort to make Logan and James stop teasing him.

"I think Logan has a point."

"I'm going to bed," Carlos said, snatching the helmet out of James hands as he headed off towards their shared room.

"Come on," James called after him. "Don't be like that. You know we're only kidding."

James got up and followed after him, leaving Kendall and Logan behind. They exchanged one look at each other and tried to keep from busting out laughing before getting up and going after Carlos as well.

"We won't laugh," James promised, rearranging his face more convincingly than the other two were able to. "Promise. Right?"

"Right," Kendall and Logan said at once.

"Just, tell me one thing," James said as Carlos glared at him with annoyance from where he sat on his bed.

"What?"

"Do you like her?" James asked.

"Yeah," Carlos said. "I do."

"Then I'm really happy for you," James said sincerely.

"But?" Carlos asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Nothing," James answered. "That's it."

"Really?" Carlos asked, looking pointedly at Logan and Kendall, who had thankfully sobered enough to look persuasive.

"We're not making fun of you," Logan said evenly, earning a disbelieving look from everyone.

"Okay," Kendall admitted. "We are making fun of you, but only because that's what we do. That's what we all do. It's expected. But really, I'm happy for you. It's great. Stephanie's cool."

"Even if her taste is suspect," James cracked, before looking at Carlos and shrugging. "Sorry. That's the last one, I swear."

"Don't mind, James," Kendall said. "He's jealous because he can't find a girlfriend. Still."

"I don't want a girlfriend," James countered, "but if I did, I could find one."

"Sure you could," Kendall said with a smirk that said otherwise.


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Chapter 11**

"Good morning."

"Good - " Logan stopped and did a double take, staring blatantly at the woman sitting at the table. "Who are you?"

"I'm Dana," she said, standing up and coming over to shake his hand.

"Hi, Dana," Logan said, still startled and looking around the room as if he might have woken up in the wrong one by accident. "I'm Logan."

"Kelly will be back in a few minutes," she said, taking a seat back behind her laptop. "I've made coffee and there are donuts and bagels on the counter if you'd like one."

"Thanks," Logan said, still feeling disoriented. "I'm sorry, who..."

"I'm Kelly's new replacement," she answered, smiling back at him again.

"Okay then," Logan said, getting something to eat and sitting nervously on the couch.

Dana, who Logan really hoped was Kelly's replacement and not just some crazy person who had wandered into their room at some point in the night, was at least his height with straight black hair that hung past her shoulders. She had a slightly turned up nose that made her look younger than she probably was, with dark brown eyes and an olive complexion. She continued typing, largely ignoring Logan, which he didn't mind in the slightest.

"Hey," Kendall said, jogging out of his room and looking past Dana and straight at Logan, "when was Kelly coming by?"

"She'll be back shortly," Dana answered, causing Kendall to half jump out of his skin.

He turned and looked at Logan who shrugged back at him.

"I'm Dana," she said, smiling at him.

"Hi," Kendall said, easily as unnerved as Logan had been by her seemingly sudden arrival. "I'm Kendall."

"Nice to meet you."

"You, too," Kendall said, and instead of staying, he turned and went straight back into their room.

Two seconds later the front door opened and Kelly came in with a smile and a wave at Logan.

"You've met Dana, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," Logan said, getting back on his feet and walking over to her.

"So..." Kelly began, looking around the room and then turning with a puzzled expression to Logan. "Are you the only one awake yet?"

"Kendall's up," Logan answered, "but I seriously doubt Carlos and James are."

Kelly nodded briskly and gave Logan one short, but serious look, before turning to Dana and saying, "Dana, how are you doing?"

"Great."

"Okay then," Kelly said, turning back to Logan. "You want to come with me for a minute? I need to check the reservations for Mrs. Knight and Gustavo at the front desk and I thought we could have a quick talk on the way."

"Sure," Logan said, assuming it could only be about one thing. Kelly wanted to ask him about those courses again and he'd just have to tell her he hadn't decided, even though he had. He couldn't do it. Logan had to keep the courses, he really had no other choice. The only thing he'd decided was that he'd have to do his studying at less obvious times, like he had last night for three hours after everyone else had gone to bed.

Kelly smiled tight-lipped at him and led the way out the door, but instead of heading down the hall towards the elevators, she went straight across it to her room, opened the door and waved him inside.

"I've got to tell you something and you have to keep it secret," she said as soon as she shut the door. She looked very serious, to the point of appearing unhappy.

"What's going on?" Logan asked, leaning against the arm of the couch.

"Tomorrow night I've arranged a dinner party," Kelly began. "And, since you've all been away from home and it's been awhile since you've seen your families, I thought it would be fun to fly them in as a surprise. That way they got to see you guys, watch a performance, and the idea was you'd all get to go home with them for a week before flying back to Los Angeles to begin the tour."

Logan nodded and thought he knew why she was telling him this now.

"It was really last minute and it never occurred to me that there might be scheduling conflicts because I was so excited but..."

"My parents aren't coming," Logan finished for her.

"I'm so sorry, Logan," Kelly said with a frown. "I'm still working on it, I haven't given up yet but..."

"Don't," Logan said shaking his head. "Don't bother. I'm sure they have somewhere more important... it's no big deal. Thanks for trying, but really, you don't..."

"Is there anyone else I can call or that you'd like to see?" she asked, her very last resort.

"No," Logan said shortly. "I mean, all my friends are across the hall and um, Camille," he continued, shrugging his shoulders, "she can't make it either. But it's fine, Kelly," he said, seeing her disturbed and trying to make her feel better about it. "It is. So, who's coming?"

"Well, right now, Carlos's parents and his sister, Teresa. Um, James's mother and brother, his father couldn't get out of work. Mrs. Knight and Katie, of course. I thought I'd also invite Jo and her mom, along with Stephanie."

"That's cool. Where at?"

"I booked a private dining room here, so it will just be friends and family," she answered, scrutinizing his features one more time without being able to determine anything. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"I'm fine," Logan answered and trying his best to sound it. "I'm kind of used to it by now. But, if the plan was to go back on Sunday with our families, where exactly does that leave me?"

"That's another thing I needed to ask you," Kelly said, looking apprehensive. "Mrs. Knight is planning to take Katie and Kendall back to L.A. for the week and then go back to Minnesota for the rest of the summer once the tour starts. Carlos and James's moms are splitting the summer tour chaperone duties between them, but they're going to Minnesota first. The last time I talked to your mother she said you could decide if you wanted to stay in L.A. or come home for the week. She left it up to you."

"Oh, well..." Logan said, for the first time sounding flummoxed. "I don't know."

"You don't have to decide right now," Kelly assured him. "Just, when you do decide, let me know and I'll arrange it. Mrs. Knight said she'd be happy to have you come back with her, so don't worry about that if that's what you want to do."

"Is that it?"

"Yeah," Kelly sighed. "I just didn't... I didn't want you to find out tomorrow and, well, I'm sorry that I couldn't make this happen."

"It's really not your fault. You could have given my parent's a year's worth of notice and something still would have come up that was... That's... that's kind of how they are."

Kelly nodded, but she felt miserable. She really wanted them all to have this moment.

"Is that it?" Logan asked, seemingly indifferent to the whole thing.

"Um, no," Kelly answered. "Carlos."

"His party?"

"Yeah," Kelly said, hating to jump so quickly to another topic, but needing to. "I have no idea what to do. Have you guys talked about it at all? Do you have any idea what he'd like or what I should plan? I'm really at a loss here."

"James and I talked last night," Logan said, his shoulders relaxing as the conversation turned from him. "Since we're performing that day, the earliest we could have anything would be about eight at night. We'll be too busy in the morning to do much, but if his parents are here," Logan added, adjusting for the change, "his mom will probably take care of that... Anyway, James and I thought he might be too late to do anything crazy, but we'd thought about a surprise dinner..."

"Which might be redundant at that point, what with my surprise dinner," Kelly said, shaking her head.

"Well, he definitely won't be expecting two," Logan added.

"I was thinking I might be able to pull something off during the performance," Kelly suggested.

"That would be cool."

"Also, what if we had it early? Say, Friday night?"

"Jo's performance is at five so that could work," Logan agreed.

"Friday," Kelly mused. "Yeah, I think I can come with something. Any requests for where dinner should be?"

"Carlos will eat anything."

"We'll go to the Venetian," Kelly decided. "Thanks."

"No problem," Logan said, getting up and moving towards the door.

"Hey," she said, following right behind and stopping him just before the door. "You're really all right?"

"Yeah, I am."

Kelly smiled and gave him a quick squeeze around the shoulders before they left her room and headed back across the hall. When they returned James and Kendall were both sitting at the couch, eyeing Dana with a mixture of curiosity and dread.

As soon as Kelly started talking in a general sort of way, Logan slipped off to his room and just tried to process the information as he sat on the edge of his bed.

He was determined not to get upset about this. There really was nothing to be upset about, if he thought about it enough. Logan knew that his parents, although they'd allowed him to participate in the group conditionally, didn't approve of it. And, as was their way, anything he did that they didn't condone, they simply didn't support. Which, over the past couple of years, added up to a large portion of his life.

The list of things Logan's parents didn't approve of was long and varied. It started with his friends, whom they had come to view as the root of all their supposed problems with him. All because, when he was eight, Logan had asked to take up hockey, like all his friends had, instead of gymnastics. Now, the only reason they'd even enrolled him in gymnastics was because all of their friends children took it, but since all of his friends played hockey, he wanted to play with them. They'd finally reached a compromise whereas Logan would simply do both, and for six years he did, until it finally became too stressful.

It was his homeroom teacher who had called Logan's parents and requested a conference. He'd just grown so worn out that he'd begun falling asleep in class. This not only highly embarrassed his parents, the one thing they dreaded above all others, but it also marked a shift in their attitude towards him. They'd assumed that Logan would now see they were right and that he'd quit hockey, but he didn't. He quit gymnastics. Because of that, and because they didn't support his decision, they stopped going to his games and participating in it entirely. Much like now.

Logan imagined that if he ever did anything they really disapproved of they'd have to disown him, and he was never quite sure how he felt about that thought. Despite it all, they were his parents, and he loved them, and he guessed they loved him too, even if they couldn't express it. He just wished it didn't have to be this difficult. He wished they would, for once, just accept him as he was instead of insisting that he be just like them.

"Hey."

Logan looked over at the door, surprised to see Kendall there, the door already shut behind him.

"You okay?" he asked, his face screwed up with worry.

"Yeah."

"Really?" Kendall pressed, sitting down on his own bed and still looking at Logan with concern. "Because you're doing that thing. You know, where you stare at the wall and pretend you're okay when you're not."

"But I am okay," Logan said, attempting a smile that fell horribly flat.

"Okay," Kendall said, slapping his good hand on his knee and getting back on this feet. "Well, Kelly wants us to get ready to go, so..."

"I'm ready now," Logan said, getting to his own feet and, if not quite able to meet Kendall's eyes, pulling himself together well enough to avoid any further inquiry.

Kendall smiled tightly and opened the door, waving Logan through first, and shaking his head slowly behind him with worry, making a mental note to ask Kelly what exactly she'd said to Logan. Something was definitely wrong, and he wasn't going to ignore it. And if he could, Kendall was going to fix it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **Sorry if this one is taking longer to publish than the last! I've actually got a lot happening all of a sudden, including working on co-writing a fic with a few friends for another fandom and finally getting all of my 'lost' data off of a drive I thought dead. Not that anyone cares about that, but I'm going to try harder to post more often. Thanks for reading, reviewing, everything! Enjoy!

**Chapter 12**

After their rehearsal, which Kelly had been thrilled with, they guys all decided to hang out at the pool for awhile before going back to their room to change for the evening. Kelly was taking all of them, plus Dana who really seemed to be working out well, out to eat first at a very nice seafood restaurant in the casino.

"You're not wearing that."

"Geez, Kelly," James said with a start, finding her already seated at the table. "I know you're taking this whole guardian thing really seriously, and I'm sure our parents appreciate it, but can you knock before you just come into our room. A little warning would be nice. You scared me half to death just now."

"I did knock," Kelly said, not looking up from her laptop. "No one answered so I came in. And I mean it. You're not wearing that."

"What's wrong with it?" James asked.

"The party is formal. No jeans."

"So, is that what you're wearing?"

"Yes, James," Kelly answered sarcastically. "These are my good sweatpants."

"Fine, I'll change," James said as he headed back into his room.

Just as his door shut, the door on the other side of the suite opened and Kendall looked out, smiling when he saw Kelly.

"I need to talk to you," Kendall said, his hair still wet but more or less ready to go.

"If it's about your outfit, you pass. Otherwise, I'm just waiting for Dana to finish so I can go get ready myself."

"It's not."

"What's up?" she asked, shutting the laptop off and giving him her full attention.

"It's about Logan."

"Uh-huh."

"He seemed kind of upset this morning and I was just curious about what you two might have talked about."

"Did he tell you he was upset?" Kelly asked, her brow furrowed.

"No."

"Did he tell you what we talked about?"

"No."

"Then don't worry about."

"No, Kelly. I know something's wrong and I just want to help."

"Kendall, if there was anything you could do, I'd tell you, but there's really not. So, just... let me handle it."

"No offense, but I don't think you're qualified."

Kelly raised an eyebrow at him and leaned back in her chair.

"Not that you're not like completely perfect for this job in every other way," Kendall said quickly, not liking the look he was receiving at all. "It's just... Okay, Logan is -"

"What am I doing?" Logan asked, shoes in hand as he headed towards the couch, looking at Kendall and Kelly with a mild curiosity.

"Taking forever in the shower and that's why I'm not ready," Kendall finished quickly, getting up and leaving the room in a rush.

"I didn't take that long," Logan said under his breath as he began to tie his shoes.

Kelly watched him as he worked, half worried that Kendall might be right.

"How are you doing?" Kelly asked when Logan had finally finished; he really took his shoelaces very seriously.

"Fine," Logan said, standing up again. "Why? I'm dressed all right, aren't I?"

"You look good."

"Thanks," he said with a satisfied smile.

Before Kelly could say anything else, James reentered the room and Kelly realized she still hadn't gotten dressed yet.

"Okay, guys, just hang tight," Kelly said, picking up her laptop as she headed for the door. "I'll be back in about half an hour and we'll head out to dinner."

"Why'd we hurry then?" James asked as he sat down heavily on the couch.

Kelly didn't bother giving him an answer, only quickly left the room leaving James and Logan alone.

"So," James said, "how are the courses going?"

Logan eyed him skeptically for a moment before deciding that James wasn't harassing him.

"Good," Logan answered.

"And you think all of that is really going to get you into a better college?"

"Yes," Logan said with a short nod of his head. "There's going to be a lot of competition and well, anything I can do..."

"Yeah," James said, understanding his point and then settling into an uneasy silence.

So far the two of them had been getting along just fine. Neither of them particularly liked fighting and had both been embarrassed enough by their own behavior to not bring it up again. Logan hadn't mentioned what had happened to Kendall and James hadn't told Carlos, that's how serious it was. Still, the whole thing had left James unnerved. Logan was acting off and he didn't like it, but he couldn't exactly place it either.

"We're good, right?" he asked, motioning quickly between the two of them.

"Yeah," Logan agreed, quick to move on and not wanting the subject to linger too long.

"Good," James echoed, "because we're probably going to have to spend the whole night together. Kendall and Carlos will have their girlfriends after all."

"What do you think this party is going to be like?" Logan asked, not crazy about crowds in the first place, and even less so in ones where he was expected to socialize.

"Loud. Lots of people. I'll love it. You'll hate it."

"Probably," Logan agreed.

It took another fifteen minutes for Carlos and Kendall to finish getting ready and join them on the couch and it wasn't until fifteen minutes after that when there was a knock on the door and Kelly entered the suite with Dana in tow.

All four of them got to their feet then stopped there.

"You look..." Logan began to say, staring at Kelly uncertainly.

"Great," James finished for him.

Carlos and Kendall both nodded in agreement. Carlos wisely refraining for elaborating on James's opinion.

"I was going to say different," Logan continued.

Kelly raised an eyebrow at him, as if to ask what she normally looked like, if it wasn't great.

"No," Logan said quickly, catching on. "I just meant... you don't have your portfolio. That's it. That's what's different."

"That's what you noticed?" Kendall asked in a low voice.

It was true, Kelly didn't normally wear cocktail dresses around the studio, but Logan really thought she looked strange without the addition of her portfolio, which she carried around like a lifeline. It was like Carlos without his helmet; not right.

"Hey," James said, as if it was a game. "No phone either."

"My phone is in my purse," Kelly said, rolling her eyes with a grin. "Now, if you are all ready..."

Dinner was a lot more fun than they had expected it to be. Considering they'd gone to a rather upscale restaurant, the atmosphere wasn't oppressive, as they'd feared it might be given the general opulence of everything in Vegas. It had just been the six of them and it had been a great chance to get to know Dana better. Kelly obviously thought she was up to the task, and the guys were doing their best to try and like her, but none of them were crazy about the idea of anyone replacing Kelly permanently.

In fact everything was going smoothly until dessert.

"Shouldn't we get going?" James asked, nervously checking his watch for the fourth time since their orders had arrived.

"Relax," Kelly said, taking another sip of coffee. "It started at eight and it's only twenty after. No one will get there on time. I thought you of all people would know about being fashionable late."

"I do," James said with an indifferent shrug; as if being late had been his idea in the first place.

"You're just excited?" she asked.

"Yes, very," he admitted with a huge grin.

"I'm done," Carlos said, pushing his plate back with a smile.

Everyone else, who were at best a third of the way through their own desserts, turned and stared.

"I skipped lunch and I'm starving," Carlos said without remorse.

"Here," Dana said, handing him her plate, "you can have the rest. I can't eat another bite."

"Excellent."

"So," Logan said, leaning towards Kelly, "what exactly is this going to be like?"

"It's going to be a lot like a party," she answered with a laugh.

"But you mentioned reporters and..."

"Don't worry about them," Kelly said, waving off his concerns. "It won't be like photographers or anything crazy. I just want you all to be aware that they will be in the crowd. Just, watch what you say, okay?"

"I'm still hungry," Carlos said, already finished with Dana's dessert as well, pressing his lips together tightly.

"There will be food there, I promise," Kelly said with a laugh.

Kendall's phone gave a beep, and checking his messages, he smiled.

"Jo and Stephanie are at the party," he said. "They'll save us a table."

"What are you doing?" James asked, staring at Carlos who was still pressing his lips together repeatedly.

"I don't know," Carlos said.

"Can you stop it?"

"My lips feel funny," Carlos said, before turning to Dana. "What was that you ordered?"

"For dessert? Kiwi-lime pie."

"Key lime pie?" Carlos asked in return, hoping he'd heard wrong.

"No, kiwi," Dana said. "Kiwi-lime pie. It's kiwi and lime and... what?"

"Oh, no," Logan said, looking at Carlos with concern.

"Yeah, Kelly," Kendall said, catching her attention by the urgency in his voice. "We may have a problem here."

"What?" Kelly asked. She'd only looked away for a second, bent on getting the waiter's attention, and now that she was facing the table again, everyone at it looked startled. "What happened?"

"Oh, no," Dana said, catching on immediately and putting a hand up over her mouth in much the same way Carlos was across doing from her.

"What?" Kelly repeated, starting to feel herself panicking.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Carlos tried to say, but already his tongue had gone partially numb making his words near impossible to understand.

"Yeah, he needs a hospital," James said with a nod.

"Carlos is allergic to kiwi," Logan told Kelly.

"How allergic?" Kelly asked, her phone already in hand. "Do I need to call an ambulance?"

"No, no, no," Kendall said quickly. "But..."

"Okay," Kelly said, getting to her feet and motioning Carlos up as well. "We're going to the hospital. Dana, if you could, put the bill on the room and um, hopefully we won't be gone long."

"We'll all..." Kendall began to say, getting partially out of his seat.

"You'll all go to the party and have a good time," Kelly finished for him. "With any luck, we'll join you in a little while. Just remember what I've said and if you have any problems, Dana can handle it. Mrs. Taylor will be there as well, so... have fun. Come on, Carlos."

Carlos smiled kind of miserably back at the table as they left. Kelly led the way, trying not to think about what a disaster this week had become.

"How are you?" she asked Carlos once they reached the lobby.

He gave her the thumbs up on one hand and tried on a more convincing smile that was half hidden behind his other hand, but she wasn't buying it.

"I'm sorry," Kelly sighed as they waited in the queue for a taxi.

Carlos, pretty much reduced to sign language, just shook his head hoping she got the point that there was no reason for her to be sorry.

"Let me see," she said, indicating his mouth, gently pushing his hand down and away from his mouth. He relented and showed her the worst of it, which wasn't as bad as she feared, but looked painful. "I'm really doing a bang up job. First Kendall's wrist. Then that mess with Logan. Now I've gotten you poisoned. I'll be lucky if we don't lose James completely."

Carlos briefly wondered what mess she was talking about with Logan, but then assumed Kelly was talking about how stressed out he was over his school work. Still, he couldn't figure how she'd blamed herself for that one. Actually, none of what had happened was strictly Kelly's fault; they'd only happened on her watch. He wanted to tell her so, but literally couldn't in his current condition, at least he couldn't in any coherent fashion.

They arrived at the ER and it being a non-life threatening condition ended up waiting a very long time to be seen. The swelling had actually begun to go down on it's own by the time a doctor did see them, but that didn't stop them from giving Carlos a series of shots and an anti-histamine to take with him. It was after one in the morning by the time they got back to the casino and Kelly didn't even think twice about the fact that no one was back at the room yet.

Carlos dropped onto the couch at the same time as Kelly sat in the chair and began tapping away at her phone.

"Who are you calling?" he asked, so tired from waiting and from all the drugs he'd been given, that he could hardly tip his head up to look her in the eyes.

"No one," Kelly said. "I'm just writing myself a note."

"About?"

"You."

"Me," Carlos said in surprise. "Why me?"

"So that I remember you can't have anything that starts with the letter 'k'."

"It's just kiwi, I swear," Carlos said with a laugh, which he quickly regretted. The swelling had made his whole face feel raw.

"You should go to bed," Kelly suggested, yawning as she kicked her feet up onto the couch near his arms.

"You're probably right."

"I'm always right," she said as he got to his feet.

Carlos smiled and sat right back down again.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said. "I'm just... I'm a bit lightheaded."

"Let me help," Kelly said, standing up first this time and pulling him back onto his feet.

"Thanks," he said, as she led him to his room.

"Which one?" she asked, indicating the beds. Carlos pointed to the one on the far side of the room and Kelly dropped him there, where he instantly laid back and sighed.

"You going to be okay?"

"Are you?" he asked back at her.

"I'm..."

"Blaming yourself for everything," Carlos said with a knowing smile. "Just because I couldn't answer you didn't mean I wasn't listening."

Kelly sat down on James's bed and faced him, giving him a defeated smile and a shrug.

"Don't worry about me," Kelly finally said after a long pause.

"I can't help it," he returned, shutting his eyes and looking every bit as if he was nearly asleep. "I care about you. You're my friend."

"Thanks."

Carlos mumbled something in response, which Kelly couldn't understand and wasn't honestly sure she wanted to. Instead, she got up as quietly as she could and began to make her way back out of the room.

"Kelly?" Carlos called, suddenly alert and sitting part of the way up again.

"Yeah?" she asked, half worried he was having some kind of allergy related relapse and that they'd spend the rest of the night back in the ER.

"Can you help me with my shoes?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **Yep, I suck. I'm sorry this story hasn't been updated in a long time. The holidays destroyed all of my free time. But, I'm back. Writing. And hopefully finishing this soon. Please accept two extra large chapters as an 'I'm sorry'. :)

**Chapter 13**

Dana had only briefly hesitated once Kelly had departed with Carlos before steadying herself and taking control.

"Okay," she said, paying for the bill and getting to her feet. "Let's do this."

She led the way to the party with James and Kendall close behind her and Logan trailing just a few steps after that. Dana introduced herself to the greeter at the door and handed out the wristbands that were to mark their status as 'underage'. To their surprise, she had one as well.

"You're not twenty-one?" Kendall asked.

"I will be in two weeks," Dana laughed.

"So, this is a summer intern job for you?" Logan said, curious as to how the whole hiring process for Rocque Records worked when you weren't a performer. "You're still in college?"

"Yeah," she answered as they walked in, raising her voice some to be heard over the music. "I'm a music major but I haven't decided exactly what I want to do. I took this job to give me a better idea of what it takes to work with recording artists, but I think I might be more into score composition."

"Like movies and television?"

"Exactly," Dana said with a nod and a smile. "I've played the violin and piano for most of my life. To be honest, this wasn't my first choice even, but it's a start. I lost out on a position at this one movie studio, so here I am."

"Babysitting," Logan said with a laugh.

"I wouldn't call it that exactly."

"Hey," Kendall interrupted, "there's Jo. Are we free to like go anywhere or do we need to stick together?"

"No," Dana said, shaking her head. "Go. Have fun. Just, don't leave the club and remember what Kelly said about reporters."

"Thanks," Kendall said with a smile as he crossed the room to where Jo sat with her mother and Stephanie.

"Wait up," James called after him, leaving Logan behind.

He knew that if he wanted to Logan could go and join them. James certainly never felt the need to be invited along, but Logan was different. Even with his best friends he felt that if he wasn't asked, he wasn't wanted.

"Come on," Dana said, sensing some of his reluctance to follow the group. "Let's get something to drink and then take a look at this place."

Logan nodded and followed after her as they made their way to the bar. Both of them ordered soft drinks before moving away again to walk slowly around the perimeter of the club.

"Oh," Dana said, sounding worried, "take this." She handed her drink off to Logan and then pulled her phone out of her purse.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just..." she said, and then tipped her head up momentarily. "I forgot this guy's name and... here he is." She showed her phone to Logan who saw in her contacts Derrick Cleaves name, number and photo. "I'm horrible with names and faces and I've met so many people in the last few days that this has been a life saver."

"Hello, Dana," Derrick said once he'd reached them both, taking both of her hands in his and giving her a warm smile. "Nice to see you again. And you are Logan, right?"

"Right," Logan answered, handing Dana back her drink in time to shake the man's hand as well.

"I caught your rehearsal today," he continued. "Excellent job. Everyone here is very excited about Saturday."

"We're very excited about Saturday," Logan said, knowing that sounded not only dumb, but phony, still he'd been unable to think of anything else to say.

"So," Derrick said, still smiling as he took a glance around the room, "where did Kelly run off to?"

"She had a situation to attend to," Dana answered. "She's going to try and make it later if she can."

"I hope she does," he said, and Logan suddenly knew why Carlos didn't like this guy at all; the vibe he put off was too slick. "If you need anything, let me know."

Logan and Dana both smiled as he left to go and chat up someone else but as soon as he was out of sight they turned to one another and, unable to help it, laughed.

"I imagine you've already met a lot of guys like him," Dana said, still giggling as they began walking towards the table where the rest of their party was. "He seems all right, mostly, if not a little..." she paused, and Logan could almost hear the word 'fake' in her head, but she ended up using, "...overeager. From what I've been told, there are some awful people in the music industry."

"Actually, not really," Logan admitted. "I mean, I know they're out there, but everyone at Rocque Records is pretty great. We've been lucky."

Their conversation stalled out once they'd reached the table. Jo's mom, Mrs. Taylor, had stepped away for a few minutes, not exactly enjoying the loud music or the crowd.

"Hey," James said as soon as he spotted Logan. "Tell Stephanie how much Carlos wanted to be here."

"I believe you, James," Stephanie said, slightly exasperated, but still laughing.

"He did," Logan answered, pulling up a chair and leaning in to make certain he'd be heard.

"You really don't have to make any excuses," Stephanie persisted. "I completely understand."

Dana shifted her weight from one foot to the next, catching Logan's eye.

"Here," he said, standing up again and offering her his seat.

"No," Dana protested mildly.

"No wait," Kendall said, scooting out of the booth entirely while gently tugging on Jo's hand so that she'd follow. "We're going to go dance. Take our spot."

"We are?" Jo asked, half laughing.

"Yes," Kendall said with a smile. "I'll just try not to flail my arms too much and knock anyone out."

Jo smiled back at him and they quickly disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor. Logan gestured for Dana to sit down and, after she did, he took the seat beside her in the booth.

"I don't think we've met," Dana said, turning to Stephanie who was to her immediate right. "I'm Dana."

"Stephanie," the other girl said, smiling and shaking her hand. "You're taking Kelly's job, right?"

"Hopefully," Dana answered. "I'm kind of in a trial period right now."

"You're doing a lot better than the last two did," James said fairly.

"There were two other people before me?"

"Yeah," Logan said with a guilty laugh. "Apparently, those awful people in the music industry. They're us."

Dana and Stephanie both laughed, but James didn't. He gave Logan a brief but serious look before looking back at Stephanie and attempting a smile.

"No," Dana said, with a laugh still in her voice, "you guys have all been great. I'll admit, I was a little nervous at first, but it's not like you've got crazy demands and are yelling at me or anything like I was afraid would happen. The horror stories I've heard about working with singers..."

James, who had been in a very good mood, found himself growing more disturbed and angry as the night wore on. At first he thought he might be imagining things, but the longer he sat listening to the banter before him, the more he realized he wasn't. A few times he got up and away from the situation that was so annoying to him, but it did nothing to improve his attitude.

Finally, much later in the night, and unable to hold his tongue any longer, James caught hold of the first opportunity that came his way to voice his displeasure in what he was witnessing.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" James asked no sooner than Jo, Stephanie and Dana had all left for the restroom together very late into the night.

Kendall and Logan, both caught entirely off guard, exchanged puzzled glances before turning to face James, still dumbfounded.

"Well?" James asked, his voice still harsh but no louder than he would speak in any normal conversation.

"Who are you talking to?" Kendall asked with a nervous laugh.

"I'm talking to Logan," James spat out, shaking his head as if they should have known. "You know, the guy who has spent the whole night flirting with some girl that isn't his girlfriend."

"Whoa, what?" Logan asked, still thinking this was some strange joke. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about," James answered. "You're a cheater."

"What?" Logan and Kendall both said at the same time.

"And a hypocrite," James added, his face now red with pent up anger.

"James, I don't think you even know what that word means," Logan fired back at him, having gone from incredulous to irritated in record time. Just when he thought things were going to be okay between the two of them, this happens.

"Well, I know one when I see one," James returned. "You were so pissed off at me when you thought I'd gone anywhere near Camille - and by the way, she wasn't your girlfriend then - and now, as soon as you're away from her, you're all over some girl you don't even know."

Logan sat there, mouth open, trying to process how he was supposed to respond to this new level of nonsense James had reached. If the first fight had been Logan's fault, there was no way that this one was; no way at all.

Kendall just sat back in the booth and softly muttered, "Wow."

"See," James said, as if silence constituted guilt. "You don't even deny -"

"The only thing I've done tonight was try and relax and have fun the way you," Logan said sharply, pointing at James for emphasis, "and you," he added, jabbing a finger in Kendall's direction, "have been telling me to all week."

"Hold up," Kendall said to Logan, shaking his head slowly, "I'm on your side here."

"Of course you are," James said, on a roll and unable to stop himself now that he was entirely worked up. "You're always on his side. No matter how wrong he is."

"What have I done wrong?" Logan asked, seriously not getting it. "What?"

"As if you didn't know."

"I don't, James. Obviously, I don't. So either tell me or shut up and leave me alone."

"You're flirting with Dana. You have been all night," James insisted. "It's really... inappropriate."

"No, really," Logan asked, shaking his head disbelievingly. "What is this about?"

"I just told you."

"That's completely ridiculous," Logan said. "You know how stupid that is, don't you?"

"I'm not stupid," James said defensively.

"You could have fooled me," Logan said with a short laugh. "You do realize she is in college. And like five years older than me. And her boss is our boss. Really, James, this is possibly the dumbest thing -"

"Okay," Kendall said, shaking his head and trying to insert himself into this before it got completely out of control. "Enough. Logan, stop it. James, Logan isn't doing anything wrong."

"Yes, he is."

"Are you just not getting enough attention?" Logan asked, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "I mean, that's got to be it, right? We all know how everything has to revolve around you."

"All this is about is how big of jerk you're being right now to Camille."

"Nothing about my relationship with Camille is your business," Logan said, unable to keep his voice quiet any longer. "Just stay out of it."

"No," James said, his voice rising to match Logan's. "She's my friend too and at least one of us should be considering her feelings. You don't. You don't care about her at all."

Kendall instinctively put a hand on Logan's shoulder and pushed him back into his seat. He couldn't reach James, but was glad for the table between them, because he was certain had it not been there, there would have been no way to keep them from attacking one another.

"This stops right now," Kendall said sharply. "James, just shut up. I mean it. You've gone too far. Way too far. And, Logan... let it go. This isn't the time or place."

Logan shrugged off Kendall's hand and looked up at the ceiling, counting silently in his head and momentarily shutting his eyes. James slunk back in his seat and glared at Kendall but said nothing more.

When the girls arrived back at the table no one spoke and the tension was thick.

"What happened?" Jo asked quietly, but Kendall only shook his head slightly in response.

"Well," Dana said, sensing the unease, "it is getting late. Maybe we should call it a night."

No one argued, and since Mrs. Taylor had left a few hours earlier, they went first to the girls' room before heading up to their own. Dana left them at their door at just a little past three in the morning, not sure what had gone wrong, but fearing the absolute worst.

Once alone again, seeing as Kelly had obviously decided that Carlos wasn't going to suffocate in his sleep and had opted to sleep in her own room, Kendall took a deep breath and turned to his two friends.

"Listen," he began, but it was as far as he got.

"I've got nothing to say to him," Logan said quickly.

"Great," James said, clapping his hands together.

Logan shook his head and stormed off to his own room leaving Kendall behind to glare at James in disbelief.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Oh, come on," James said. "You know I'm right. He was completely... He..." he stammered, unable to fully articulate what was bothering him exactly. "You know, if I had a girlfriend like Camille, I wouldn't even be looking anyone else and yet...he spends the whole night just laughing with some girl he hardly knows and... and..."

Kendall stared at him for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"James, don't... just... please don't tell me..."

"What?"

"James," Kendall said warningly. "No. Just, no. I can't believe..."

"What?" James repeated, this time more anxious than the last.

"Please don't tell me that... Just, please. No. You can't. You can't."

"Of course not," James said suddenly, getting what Kendall couldn't bring himself to say at last. "I wouldn't... You know I wouldn't. It's like I said, I'm just concerned as her friend. Camille is our friend, too, and..."

"And what?" Kendall asked, still desperately hoping that James was telling him the truth and it went no further than friendly feelings. "Because, Jo is Camille's best friend and she didn't think anything was going on. And if she had, she'd of spoken up. You know she would have."

"Maybe she didn't want to embarrass..."

"No, James," Kendall said, shaking his head adamantly. "That's not it. Jo didn't say anything because nothing was going on. They were just talking and... and you've got to level with me, James. Do you like Camille?"

"I... of course I do," James said. "I just told you she was my friend, didn't I?"

"You know what I mean."

James shifted uncomfortably before letting out a sharp laugh.

"James, I'm serious," Kendall pressed.

"No, Kendall," James said, shaking his head and still laughing in an affected manner. "You're ridiculous. I mean, that's crazy talk. Of course I don't like her like that. She's... she's Logan's girlfriend. I'm not... I'm not... I don't even know what that would be, but I'm not it."

"Okay," Kendall said, really wanting to believe him, "but you know how this looks, right? I'm not trying to accuse you of anything, but this really looks like..."

"It's not," James said with an air of indifference.

"All right," Kendall said. "If you say so, I believe you."

"Good."

"But, you're going to have to apologize or something to Logan tomorrow," Kendall said seriously. "James, this wasn't cool. What you did tonight? It wasn't cool at all."

"I'll... we'll talk tomorrow," James said, looking at his feet. "I'll figure it out. You're right, I may have crossed a line."

"Crossed a line?" Kendall repeated disbelievingly. "James, you went so far past the line that you're back in front of it again."

"I'll say I'm sorry. It's the best I can do. He can take it or leave it."

"Fine," Kendall said with a weary sigh.

"Fine," James repeated back at him.

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

"'Night," James repeated, heading into his own room that was already filled with the sounds of Carlos's snoring.

James sat on the edge of his bed and dropped his head into his hands, unable to believe how much damage he'd managed in just one night. Still not realizing how much damage had yet to be done.


	14. Chapter 14

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Chapter 14**

"I'm just going to say this and get it out of the way," Carlos said, looking around the room. "This is weird."

Kelly laughed and shook her head, not looking up from her laptop.

"No," Carlos said, still completely sincere. "I am never the first one up. How late were they out last night?"

"Dana said they got in after three," Kelly answered.

"Must have been some party.

"I'm sorry you missed it," she said, quite sincerely.

"It's all right," Carlos said in between sips of orange juice. "We had fun, right? I mean, that guy who needed the enema. He was a laugh."

"Oh, man," Kelly said, throwing back her head and laughing hard for a moment. "I almost forgot about him."

"How is that possible?"

"Let's skip enema-man," Kelly said, somewhat seriously. "How are you feeling? Good? No problems?"

"I'm fine," Carlos assured her. "Really."

"Good, because..." Kelly trailed off as her phone beeped, indicating a new text.

She stared at the display and the smile that had been on her face melted into a frown.

"What's wrong?" Carlos asked.

Kelly didn't answer, only turned back to her laptop and began typing in her browser's search engine.

"Kelly?"

"Give me a minute," she said quietly as she read the screen in front of her, the frown growing gradually into a grimace.

"Is it..."

"Wake them up," Kelly said sharply as she got to her feet and headed out the door and across the hall.

Carlos didn't think for a moment about disobeying her, he just got up and knocked loudly on Logan and Kendall's door before crossing the suite to the room he shared with James.

"Get up," he said as he opened the door, loud enough to cause James to stir.

"What's going on?" James asked, still half asleep.

"I don't know but Kelly is mad," Carlos answered. "What happened last night?"

"Why?" James asked, much too quickly in Carlos's opinion for him not to be guilty of something.

"Just, get up," Carlos answered, heading out of the room again and back over to the other one across the suite.

He opened the door this time without bothering to knock. Logan was already sitting up, evidentially looking for the noise that had woken him in the first place, but Kendall was still fast asleep.

"Kendall," Carlos said loudly. "Get up. Kelly wants to talk."

"About what?" Logan asked, rubbing his eyes and getting reluctantly to his feet.

"I don't know, " Carlos admitted. "Come on."

Kendall stretched and yawned his way to his feet, following Logan and Carlos out of the room to where James was already waiting on the couch.

Logan purposefully sat at the table, to avoid James, and Carlos noticed at once that something was definitely off between the two of them. Kendall tried to appear as if nothing was wrong, but it did little good.

"Okay," Kelly said as she reentered the room with Dana, who had obviously gotten dressed quickly, in tow. "What happened?"

"Kelly, what -"

"No," Kelly said curtly, cutting Kendall off. "No questions. I'm asking the questions right now, not you, and right now I don't want to hear anything other than the truth about last night. What happened?"

Kendall looked first to James and then to Logan, but neither of them would meet his eyes. Kelly's own eyes remained fixed on Kendall, instinctively knowing he was the closest to cracking.

Logan's phone rang but a swift look from Kelly and he didn't dare answer. Instead he declined the call and shifted uneasily in his chair.

"Well?" Kelly asked, arms folded across her chest, ever bit of her meaning business.

"I... I may have gotten into a slight disagreement with Logan," James finally admitted.

Logan pressed his lips together tightly to keep himself from responding. Slight was not how he'd have described it at all, but that didn't really matter at the moment.

"Slight?" Kelly repeated, her voice going up in volume and in pitch. "Slight? Really, because that's not how any of the three bloggers who witnessed your disagreement termed it. Would you like to hear an exert?"

"No."

"It's pretty entertaining," Kelly said. "One guy said," she continued, going back to her laptop and pulling up the link, "that, and I quote, 'they looked as if they'd have loved nothing more than to rip each other's throats out'. "

"I'm sorry, Kelly," Logan said quietly.

"Me, too," James added.

"What was this about?" she asked, shaking her head in complete disbelief. "Because I thought we'd settled our differences. I thought we'd all agreed to get along and I know I'd told you at least a dozen times to be careful what you said and did. Especially at that party. I just... how did this happen? How? Did you both go temporarily insane? Did you think no one would notice, because that's not how this business works. Everyone notices everything, all the time. All the time. Do you have any idea how bad this could be?"

"Kelly," Kendall tried again, but she wasn't having it.

"What happened?"

"Logan and I got into a fight," James answered. "It was stupid and it was entirely my fault. Kendall tried to stop it and... and Logan tried as well. I was just... It was my fault. I'm sorry. If you're going to be mad at anyone, be mad at me."

"So, it's not true?" she asked, deadly serious.

"No," James said, having a good idea what she meant by that and how much might be on the line, given his answer. "None of it... I was just being a jerk. I'm sorry."

Kendall let out a breath and looked relieved, as if it was all behind them now, but it wasn't. Logan still wouldn't even look at James and had said and done nothing that even acknowledged his existence. Logan knew that, given how easily James had forgiven him, he should accept James's apology and move on, but the offenses weren't the same and Logan would need a little more time to do it.

"What did they say?" Carlos asked, feeling completely out of the loop.

"Nothing," Kelly answered, shaking her head as if to dismiss the entire conversation. "It doesn't matter and if anyone asks, nothing happened. It was a simple argument that got blown out of proportion. Got it?"

"Yeah," James and Kendall agreed at once.

"Logan?" Kelly asked, turning to him and waiting for his answer.

"Sure," he said, with a short, crisp, bob of his head.

"Okay," Kelly said, trying to be calm and doing her best to appear as if it was past them this time, for good. "Let's get going. Guys, get dressed and we'll have lunch at the studio, okay?"

Each of them retreated back to their rooms while Kelly and Dana left for their own suite again. As soon as the door had shut on Logan and Kendall in their room, Kendall went for his own phone and began searching for the blogs in question.

"I really wish I was left-handed right now," he muttered, fumbling around with his phone, his casted hand of no help.

"Why are you even bothering?" Logan asked as he pulled out the clothes he'd planned on wearing that day. "You were there. You know what happened."

Kendall didn't answer him and Logan just shook his head and retreated into the bathroom. While he was in the shower, his phone rang an additional three times, but Kendall hardly noticed it. He was too caught up in what he'd found.

By the time Logan had finished the room was empty, but that wasn't unusual. He took his time, knowing that if Kelly was really in a rush she'd have sent someone in to hurry him along. He wanted to wait as long as possible before he had to see James again. Logan really did want to just forget what had happened last night, and let it go if he could, but he still hadn't quite worked himself into the right frame of mind to do that just yet.

Finally, he left the room, pocketing his phone as he shut the door.

"Really, I have no idea why..." Kendall was saying to Carlos, before they both turned and looked Logan's way.

"It's not true?" Carlos asked, and Logan was taken aback by how fierce his gaze was at that moment.

"What are you talking about?" Logan had to ask; now he was the one completely lost.

"The article," Carlos answered, stepping around Kendall who had hastily put himself between the two of them.

"It's wrong," Kendall said quickly. "I told you, Carlos. I was there and it's completely wrong. That's not why James and Logan were fighting. I swear it."

"What does it say?" Logan asked quickly, going to his own laptop.

Carlos handed him his own phone, saving Logan the trouble of looking it up. Logan skimmed over it, shaking his head in disbelief.

"This isn't..." he muttered. "This..."

"So what were you fighting about?"

Logan looked at Kendall, really not wanting to go over it.

"What did James tell you?" Logan asked, seeing Kendall only shrug and shake his head in response.

"He said it wasn't worth getting into because the two of you were going to have each other's backs no matter what."

"What?" Kendall said, his face flush with anger.

Logan just let out a mirthless laugh and balled his hands tightly into fists.

Carlos looked with confusion from Kendall to Logan and back again. He believed them, it was too convincing an act to be anything but true, but felt like he'd missed years instead of just hours away from them last night.

Logan was still silently shaking with repressed rage when his phone rang. Taking it out and looking at the screen he let out another bark-like laugh.

"It's Camille," he said. "It's... oh, God. I can't. I can't even talk I'm so..."

Logan pushed the phone back into his pocket after declining the call once more and began to pace silently in front of the table.

"Guys," Kelly called, knocking once on the door before opening it up. "Almost ready?"

Logan shook his head and went straight back into his room without another word, slamming the door behind him.

"What now?" Kelly asked with a heavy sigh.

Carlos threw up his hands, completely unable to answer that question in any way.

"Is it time to go?" James asked as he came out of his room.

"You," Kendall said harshly, wheeling on his suddenly and advancing.

"Kendall," Carlos said, jumping between the two of them. "Don't. Don't do this."

"What's your problem?" James snapped, having no idea what Kendall could be mad about now.

"You're my problem," Kendall yelled. "Why? Why'd you do it? Couldn't you just let it go, for once James? For once?"

"I did let it go," James fired back at him. "I even said I was sorry."

"Knock it off, right now," Kelly said, but no one was listening.

Carlos was still between the two of them, pushing them back a little harder than he'd like to, but seeing it was necessary.

"Then why'd you tell Carlos that Logan and I were lying?"

"That's not what I said," Carlos interjected.

"No," Kendall admitted, "but that's what James meant. Isn't it?"

"All I said was that the two of you had your version -"

"And what?" Kendall interrupted. "You had the truth?"

"That's not what I meant," James said, shaking his head and seeing how Kendall had gotten that impression. "It doesn't matter, does it?"

"It kind of does," Carlos answered, once again taking sides only as needed. "I mean, after reading the article..."

"I told you not to read that," Kelly said, completely frustrated at how useless she was at the moment.

"Well, I did," Carlos said. "And, after what you said, James, how was I not going to believe it?"

"It was obviously a lie," Kelly answered, but only Kendall nodded his head in agreement.

Carlos, watching James for his reaction, turned back to Kendall doubtingly.

"So Logan was hitting on Stephanie," Carlos said flatly.

"What?" James asked, his voice sharp with surprise.

"That's what it said," Carlos added. "And, it's true? It's really true?"

"No," Kendall and Kelly both said at once, despite Kelly having not even been there at the time.

"That's not what happened," James said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Did you even read the blog?" Kendall asked him.

"Of course not," he answered. "I was there, why would I read it?"

"So, it's not true," Carlos said, feeling really tired and confused by the whole thing.

"No," James answered. "It wasn't Stephanie, it was..."

"Who?" Kelly asked, as it suddenly dawned on her that there was more truth to this rumor than she'd been willing to believe. "Who was it?"

"No one," Kendall answered, but before he could elaborate his own phone began to ring. "It's Jo," he said, looking at the display with a grimace. "This is a nightmare and I have to take this call."

Kendall said hello as he stepped out into the hall for some privacy, hating that he was leaving James behind to give his version of events to Kelly without him, but unable to avoid it. He had a suspicion that Camille, unable to reach Logan, had called Jo instead and now he was going to have to clear this up.

"Who was it?" Kelly asked, pressing James for details.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does if it's who I think it was," Kelly insisted.

"It's nothing like that," James said, realizing at once that Kelly was very serious and he may have inadvertently gotten Dana in trouble. "The only one out of line last night was Logan."

Carlos couldn't help but look at Kelly, feeling a bit embarrassed about his own behavior towards her and how it was likely the cause of this minor freak out she was having. Luckily, before she caught him looking, her phone beeped.

"Oh, crap," she said, gritting her teeth. "We've got to go. We've got to be at the studio in half an hour and... James, Carlos... go downstairs and wait in the lobby. I'll bring Logan and Kendall with me."

They both nodded and left without saying another word.

"Logan," Kelly said, tapping on the bedroom door before gently pushing it open. "You okay?"

He was sitting on the very edge of his bed with his eyes shut and his fists still clenched.

"Logan?"

"I'm... I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Kelly said.

"Camille has called me six times already because of this stupid... lie. It's all a lie and it's going to ruin everything."

"She'll understand. You can explain it to her and I'm sure she'll understand what really happened."

"No she won't," Logan said, shaking his head slowly. "I can't even answer the phone. I can't even talk to her. I feel... I feel guilty. She's going to hear that in my voice and that'll be it. Over and done with just like that all because..."

"If you didn't do anything wrong, then you don't have a reason to feel guilty."

"Stupid, James. I swear... He did this on purpose. He had to have. I know I didn't do anything wrong, but I let him get to me because I always let him get to me and now... now I feel guilty."

"Logan, I'm not going to pretend to know exactly what's going on here. I don't. If you want to tell me, I'd be happy to listen, but right now is not a good time. I hate to do this to you, but we have to go. We have to be at the studio. Everyone is going to be there in about an hour and we can't keep them waiting."

"I forgot that was happening today."

"Yeah."

"Kelly," Logan said, shutting his eyes again and dropping his head to his chest. "Can I just stay here? Please? I don't think... It's not like... No one's showing up for me so I don't have to be there, right?"

"You don't have to go," Kelly said before she'd even realized what she was going to say. It was pure instinct. She couldn't make him do it, it would be almost cruel at this point.

"Thank you."

"I'm going to go get Kendall. I'll be..." she trailed off, backing out of the room and not at all surprised to find Kendall and Dana both sitting on the couch waiting for them.

"Change of plans," Kelly said, taking a deep breath and attempting to calm her nerves as she shut the door she'd just exited. "Here," she said, thrusting her portfolio towards Dana. "Take this. Take Kendall, James and Carlos to the studio and just follow the schedule. We've talked about it so, it shouldn't be a problem. But if it is, call me."

"What about Logan?" Kendall asked.

"He's staying here."

"But..."

"He's staying here because I said so," Kelly said, uncharacteristically harsh. "That's all there is to it. Just hurry or you'll be late."

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Dana asked. "I can stay."

"I'm sure," Kelly answered, not really looking at either of them as she bobbed her head slightly up and down. "Follow the schedule and I'll see you tonight."

"Okay," Dana said softly, motioning for Kendall to follow her out the door.

Kelly waited until they'd left before slumping into the arm chair and dropping her head into her hands. She never imagined this week would go so badly. Every day it got a little worse and every day she felt more like a failure.


	15. Chapter 15

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo

**Spoilers:** None

**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **Well... last time I posted was over a year ago, and SOOOO much canon has changed that I just can't help. I started this with an idea in my head of how families were set and I've been proved completely wrong, but it's too late to change that for this story so consider it a massive AU or whatever. Also, I'm highly motivated to finish this and I'm sorry if anyone was out there waiting for it (which, I doubt). Thanks and enjoy!

**Chapter 15**

The ride to the studio was completely silent. Carlos had asked Dana in the lobby where Kelly and Logan were, but she'd only told him that Kelly had put her in charge and nothing more. Kendall was still too angry to even look at James. Carlos felt so confused and lost by the entire situation that he could only glance nervously around the car in the hopes that someone would either explain it or break the tension. And James, who knew he was to blame, stared miserably out the window unsure of what he could do to fix any of this.

They arrived just a little behind schedule but found that the practice space was already occupied. Dana shuffled them off to a green room to wait it out before setting off to talk with the studio manager and to round up some drinks and snacks while they waited.

Still, no one spoke.

Kendall sat at the far end of the room with his back to James, staring moodily out the window under the pretense of counting the cars that passed by. Carlos stretched out on one of the two sofas in the space and had put in his earbuds, having turned up his music as high as he could and was softly singing along. James sat fidgeting opposite of Carlos, picking up and putting down again several magazines before settling on one without really reading it.

When the door opened up again, Kendall didn't even turn, assuming it had to be Dana again.

"So this is really what you do all day?"

Kendall swung around, surprised to hear that particular voice, but it was James who practically jumped out of his skin.

"You just sit around and what exactly?" Mark, James's older brother asked, as he came into the room with a smile and a walk very similar to his brother's.

"What are you doing here?" James asked, his anxiety forgotten as he got to his feet and hugged his brother. "Mom," he said with a huge grin as she pulled him into a tight embrace. "Oh, man. This is... What are you doing here?"

"We're here to see you," Mark answered. "Duh."

"You look thin," Mrs. Diamond pronounced, taking James's face into her hands.

Despite himself, Kendall smiled as he watched the scene unfold. He was mad at James, but he wasn't heartless, and James hadn't seen his family in months.

And it didn't stop there.

Teresa, Carlos's closest sister in age, came in after Mrs. Diamond, and walked quickly to the couch where Carlos was still oblivious to what was happening around him. She shook him gently by the arm and his eyes popped open and then he hopped to his feet.

"Teresa," he said, startled, as he pulled the earbuds out and gave her a huge smile. "Oh my God, you're here."

"And I'm not alone," she said, kissing him on the cheek before gesturing to the door where Carlos's parents were entering.

"Mom," Carlos said, so excited as he ran across the room. "Dad. What's going on? Why..."

"Kelly called us and invited us to come," Mrs. Garcia said as she hugged her only son. "She thought it would be a good surprise."

"It is," Carlos said as he hugged his father. "It is. This is great!"

Kendall stood up as his own mom and sister came in next.

"It's good to see you," Mrs. Knight said, pulling him into an embrace.

"You saw me like four days ago," Kendall said with a laugh.

"It was five days ago," she corrected, "and it doesn't matter. I still missed you."

"I missed you, too," he admitted.

"Oh, God," Katie sighed, shaking her head in mock disgust.

"Katie," Kendall said with an over-the-top enthusiasm designed to embarrass her as he picked her up off her feet.

"Knock it off," she laughed. "You'll break another arm or whatever."

Kendall put her back on her own two feet before noticing that, through the open door, he could see Gustavo talking animatedly with Dana.

"Where's Logan?" Mrs. Knight asked as she scanned the room.

"He's, um... He stayed at the hotel."

His mom smiled tightly and gave a quick nod as if she knew something he didn't.

"Wait," Kendall said, looking over the room that was now as full of people as it was of conversation. "Where are his parents? Did Kelly call and let them know Logan wouldn't be here? Did they go straight to the hotel?"

Katie looked up at her mom expectantly. She'd been in on the whole surprise thing, but she had only known the basic details. Her mom and Kelly had been talking on the phone all week about this, and like Kendall, she was curious about what had happened to the Mitchells.

"No," Mrs. Knight said evenly. "They're not coming. They couldn't make it."

"Does he know?" Kendall asked, the smile disappearing from his face.

"Yes. Kelly told him earlier. I thought he might have told you since seeing me again wasn't much of a surprise."

"No," Kendall answered glumly. "He didn't."

Before Mrs. Knight could say anything further, Gustavo came into the room with Dana just behind him.

"Obviously, no one is going to be able to get any work done with all this excitement," he said sarcastically. "So, why don't you all take the day off and spend it with your families and we'll meet up tonight at seven o'clock for dinner at the casino."

Carlos and James left shortly after that with their own parents and siblings, not really giving any one else a second thought. The Knights hung back a minute as Gustavo approached them.

"Where's Logan?" Gustavo asked Kendall no sooner than the door had shut everyone else out of the room.

Kendall's eyes flicked momentarily to Dana, which was of no help as she was staring at the floor.

"He's not feeling well."

"Really?"

"Yes," Kendall said, his voice more questioning than Gustavo's had been.

"He's not hiding because he's embarrassed over what some half-brained blogger wrote, is he?"

"What blog?" Katie asked, looking at Kendall.

"Katie," Gustavo said, leaning down so that he met her eye-to-eye. "Grown-ups are talking."

"Where?"

"Hush," Mrs. Knight said, putting her hand on Katie's shoulder. "What blog?"

"It was nothing," Kendall said, trying to pass it off as quickly as he could. "Just something stupid about last night's party."

"Kendall," Gustavo said, "I see what you're trying to do here. And, as we've discussed, like it or not you are this group's leader. I know you're only doing what you think is best right now, but what's really best is that I know the truth. Because if Logan is going to let something this small -"

"He's not embarrassed," Kendall interrupted. "I think he's kind of mad."

"How mad?"

"Like it's probably better he's not here right now kind of mad."

"I see. And there's nothing else going on? Nothing at all?"

"No. I really think he just needs to be alone for awhile," Kendall stressed. "He'll be fine. He will. It's just, after everything that has happened this week... it might have been one thing too many. It hasn't been exactly fun," Kendall said, holding up his cast for emphasis.

"I've heard," Gustavo said so grimly that Kendall stopped worrying that Dana might get fired over this and began to worry about Kelly instead.

"It hasn't been that bad," Kendall said, trying desperately to backpedal from his previous statement. "And, I mean, James and Logan fight. They just do," he said, turning to his mom for support on this one. "We all do. It'll blow over."

"All right," Gustavo said, throwing his hands up as if the whole lot of them were hopeless. "We can talk more later, after I see Kelly. Don't forget, dinner, tonight at seven. Be there."

"Got it," Kendall said, holding his breath until Gustavo and Dana had exited the room.

"What happened?" Mrs. Knight asked immediately.

"Nothing," Kendall sighed. "It's stupid and it's done with and... and we all really need to just drop it."

Mrs. Knight folded her arms and waited, not about to take no for an answer.

"James and Logan had this stupid fight last night," Kendall said reluctantly, feeling like he was ratting out his best friends, but he never really could keep anything from his mom. "It got overheard and misunderstood and... well, Logan is mad and I'm a little mad, too."

"With James?"

"What was it about?" Katie asked.

"Yes, with James," Kendall answered his mother, ignoring his sister. "He blew something way out of proportion and... that's it."

"This is about a girl, isn't it?" Mrs. Knight sighed.

"I thought Camille couldn't come?"

Kendall was about to answer his mom but as soon as Katie spoke he turned his attention back to her.

"Who said anything about Camille?"

"I... I just assumed," Katie said, fumbling through the words as her cheeks burned. "I mean, this is about Logan so... who else would it be about?"

"You know something," Kendall said, still scrutinizing her.

"How could I? I've been back at the Palms all week."

"Kendall," Mrs. Knight said, calling his attention away from his sister. "Honestly, you think this will blow over?"

"I hope it will."

"That's not very reassuring."

"I know," he agreed.

Mrs. Knight sighed and let it go. Ever since Kelly had let her in on the fact that Logan's parents weren't coming out to see him, she'd been planning to include him in whatever they did together for the day. It wouldn't be the first time something like this had happened. Before they'd moved out to L.A., Logan had been a frequent guest at their house and even on trips they'd taken as a family from time to time. His own parents just never seemed to have the time for him which Mrs. Knight found infuriating.

Of all of Kendall's friends, whom she loved and treated like they were her own sons, Logan was the only one she sometimes wished she could take full custody of. Not because James and Carlos weren't great kids, but more for Logan's own good. The other two had families; Logan had a house where he lived with his parents, but it wasn't a home. She made a point of never speaking badly about anyone in front of her children, but sometimes it was harder to do than at other times. It made her angry to think about how Logan was treated, but there was nothing she could do.

In her mind, they were negligent, but it wasn't in a criminal sense. She knew he wasn't abused physically or emotionally, in all the years she'd known Claire and David Mitchell, she'd never once heard them even raise their voices about anything. They were, on the surface, perfect. They were poised and even friendly, but distant. There was no getting to know them on a personal level. Logan lacked for nothing, but that was more out of familial pride than any particular sign of affection. They wouldn't want it said that something couldn't be afforded their son. They were lenient when it suited them, but mostly because it suited them to have Logan out of the way. It was as if they couldn't warm up to him, or that they didn't want to, something Mrs. Knight found impossible to understand. They were selfish people who thought more about themselves than they did about their own son.

"What do you say we swing by and see if Logan wants to join us for lunch? Kelly, too." Mrs. Knight asked, knowing at once that both Kendall and Katie would agree.

Despite not exactly knowing her way around Vegas, Mrs. Knight found her way back to Mandalay Bay fairly quickly and Kendall led the way up to their rooms.

"Where are you staying?" he asked his mom as they exited the elevator.

"We're a few floors down," she answered. "Next to Jo and her mom."

Kendall opened the door with his keycard and Kelly stood up, surprised to see them there. Logan looked up from his laptop, in his usual spot at the table, but only smiled briefly in their direction before dropping his eyes back to his work.

"What's going on?" Kelly asked, smiling and giving Katie a hug before kissing Mrs. Knight on the cheek. "I thought you'd go out. Nothing... nothing else went wrong, did it?"

"No," she answered, waving a dismissive hand in front of her as she spoke. "We thought we'd come by and invite you and Logan out to lunch with us."

Logan shut down his computer before getting to his feet and crossing to Mrs. Knight who pulled him into a hug.

"You don't have to..."

"Of course we don't have to ask," Mrs. Knight interrupted. "We want you to come. Both of you."

"Yeah," Kelly said, smiling and nodding her head. "That sounds great. We'd love to come, right Logan?"

"Of course," he said, smiling tightly and obviously being pressured into this arrangement.

Mrs. Knight knew, of course, but she wasn't about to let him off the hook. One look at him was enough to have her worried and convinced that Kendall had either omitted large parts of the story or didn't know everything that had happened yet himself.


	16. Chapter 16

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Notes: **Thanks to everyone who did and is still reading this, and especially those who took the time to leave a review! Extra special thanks to Tripp3235, who reviews and betas and generally lets me annoy her silly with fics and things for years now! Thank you!

**Chapter 16**

Kelly bowed out of the family trip after lunch, knowing that Gustavo would want to meet with her and discuss everything that had happened during the week in excruciating detail. Logan had tried to do the same but no one would let him. Mrs. Knight finally won him over with a little properly applied guilt and ended up taking Katie, Kendall and Logan out to Hoover Dam for the afternoon. They all had a good time and by when they got back to their room to change for the evening, Kendall was glad that neither Carlos nor James had returned yet.

Before he had the chance to ask anything, Logan spoke up.

"I told Kelly what really happened."

"And?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I probably shouldn't have. She wasn't happy. After everything with Carlos, she's really worried about appearances between us and, well, them."

"But nothing happened. James..."

"I know," Logan sighed, dropping back on his bed and staring at the ceiling. "I told her that, too. She said she'd talk to Dana and James, hear what they had to say. I don't know. This whole thing... How do you think Stephanie's name got dragged in?"

"Don't know," Kendall answered with a shrug. "I'm sure it was easy enough to confuse everyone. Half the time they don't get our names straight."

"I suppose."

"Did you call Camille back?"

"Yeah."

"And?" Kendall asked, sitting down now and facing Logan who still was looking up at the ceiling.

"And what?"

"What did you say? What did she say? I can imagine she was completely freaked out."

"She was."

"So?"

"I really don't want to talk about it," Logan said, getting back off the bed and making a show of picking through what to wear.

"Yeah, but..."

"Why do I even have to go to this thing tonight?" Logan asked out loud, still not facing Kendall and blatantly changing the subject.

"It won't be that bad."

Logan didn't say any more, just pulled on a new shirt and ran his hands quickly through his hair as he walked out of the room.

Kendall was still getting ready in the other room when Kelly knocked on the door before entering with Dana just behind. Logan took one look at them and knew Kelly had already heard Dana's side of the story. Dana, who had just started opening up to them and being more friendly and less super-efficient, wasn't smiling at all.

"Almost ready?" Kelly asked with a tight grin.

"Just waiting on Kendall."

"Good," Kelly said. "Everyone else is waiting in the lobby. I passed Mrs. Knight and Katie in the hall and told them I'd hurry you two along."

"Do I have to go?"

"Yes," Kelly said quickly, nodding and looking away.

"Hey," Kendall said, smiling as he opened the door and found Kelly and Dana waiting for him. "Are we late?"

"Not yet," Kelly answered, smiling a bit easier than before, but still tense. "But we should get going."

Logan seemed to resign himself to the fact that there was no way out of this dinner. He'd never been thrilled with the idea, but after last night and today, it was the very last thing he wanted to do.

At first it was okay, but only because he'd managed to shuffle his way towards the back as everyone else mingled and talked. Kelly really had gone all out and gotten them a private room set with a table large enough for their entire party and a host of staff for pretty much everything. No one sat down immediately, choosing instead to talk about their days to one another. Everyone seemed happy, even Gustavo who was grumpiness personified. Only two other people in the room looked as miserable as Logan imagined he did; Stephanie and Dana. Logan knew Camille had called Stephanie directly when she hadn't been able to reach him first and he wasn't looking forward to the apology he felt he owed her; or the one he knew he owed Dana.

"Excuse me," Gustavo said, loudly addressing the room and waiting until he'd gotten everyone's attention before continuing on. "First, I'd like to thank you all for coming, and more importantly, thank Kelly for making this possible."

Kelly smiled as the group of them all gave her a polite round of applause.

"While I typically don't have much to say -"

"Really?" Kendall asked loudly, earning a laugh from the rest.

"That's enough out of you," Gustavo said, but with a rare smile on his face. "I wanted to say that I'm very proud of all the hard work that the dogs have put in. I know it hasn't been easy, but they've certainly done their best to make it fun. And I know that's meant a lot of long days and a lot of time away from the people that love them best, but I hope that they've found it worth it. I certainly have. So, here's to the beginning."

There was another round of applause before everyone eventually settled into their seats and the dinner began. The meal went quicker and easier than Logan imagined it would. He'd found himself seated between Katie and Kelly, which was at least amusing. Katie seemed to have an incomplete understanding of exactly what had taken place, but she didn't ask him anything about it. Instead she talked incessantly to Kelly and to himself about some books she'd planned on reading over the summer. The distraction, and he knew it was one, was at least pleasant.

Finally, after the meal had ended and people began to get up and mingle again, Logan felt he'd stayed long enough and asked Kelly if it would be all right if he left.

"Why not stay," she suggested, but before he could tell her exactly why not, Gustavo approached them both and took Logan by the elbow, steering him off to the side.

"A word," he said, nodding at Kelly who seemed to have known this was coming as she immediately took a few steps back to deflect anyone who might interrupt.

"What's wrong?" Logan asked.

"I think you know."

Logan's eyes went momentarily wide, but before he could speak, Gustavo was already shaking his head at him impatiently.

"Let's make this quick," Gustavo said, with an air of seriousness that took Logan aback. "I am going to assume, since you are the responsible one, that the situation is under control and I won't be receiving any more phone calls. Am I right?"

Kelly, still within earshot, couldn't stop help but exclaim, "Wait a minute. What -"

"Right?" Gustavo pressed, cutting across Kelly's question.

"Right," Logan said, dropping his eyes and looking deflated.

"Now," Gustavo continued, ignoring Kelly's look of confusion, and dropping the gruffness from his voice, "I don't know the exact situation between you and your parents but take this," he said as he handed Logan a business card. "This is the name and number of the record label's lawyer."

"Why -" Logan started to ask, but Gustavo plowed on.

"He's going to call you tomorrow and before you leave on tour we're going to sit down and discuss exactly where your earnings go."

"I don't think that's necessary," Logan began, but Gustavo only shook his head gravely.

"No, you wouldn't. But I've been in this business longer than you've been alive and I've seen it all and I don't want to see it happen to you. Got me?"

"Okay," Logan agreed, feeling his insides turn.

"Great," Gustavo said, his voice back to its normal, brusque tone, as he slapped Logan on the back and walked away.

Logan pocketed the card and saw Kelly's eyes were still on him. He gestured slightly towards the door to which she nodded in returned and followed him out it.

"What did you tell him?" he asked as soon as they were reasonably alone.

"What phone call?" she asked at nearly the same time.

"That's... nothing," Logan said, shaking his head with his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. As sure a sign as Kelly had ever seen that she was being lied to. "What did you say to Gustavo about my parents? Why does he suddenly think that I need a lawyer?"

"I told him the truth," Kelly said evenly, willing to momentarily drop her question. "Logan... Honestly, I hardly had to tell him that. As soon as I said your parents weren't coming he started putting this together on his own."

"But what's that got to do with anything? That's just... that's how they are. That doesn't mean..."

"Of course it doesn't," Kelly said quickly. "Gustavo... Okay, it's just that he's seen this thing before. So have I. Logan, I know the whole money thing isn't what you or Kendall or any of you are thinking about right now, but you have the potential to make a lot of it. Quickly. A lot of times it changes people and Gustavo just wants to make sure that you get what you're entitled to."

"But he isn't having this conversations with Kendall or Carlos or James, is he?"

"No," Kelly said honestly.

Logan kept walking down the hallway they'd entered and Kelly kept following, knowing he just needed time to think this through; to see they were right. And, he hated to admit it, but they might be. The very thought of it made him nearly sick with guilt and paranoia. He never imagined he'd have to think about something like this. On top of everything else, this was not what he needed.

"What exactly are we talking about?" Logan asked, coming to a sudden stop and facing Kelly.

"You'd just sit down and go over your rights. California has some strict laws. Because you're still a minor, legally, fifteen percent of your earnings should be set aside in a trust fund."

"And?"

"And..." Kelly hesitated to finish, but knew she had to for Logan's own good, "your parents haven't done it yet."

Logan didn't know what to say, he just stood there staring at her in disbelief.

"Talk to the lawyer," Kelly advised. "It can't hurt. There's a lot of things they can do to ensure that what you earn, you keep. I can't give you any details, that's not my job, but..."

"Would my parents have to know?"

"Yes."

Logan dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck slowly, feeling older than he knew he had any right to feel. "What would you do?" he asked point blank.

"I'm not sure. It kind of depends. I... I'd have trusted my parents to do the right thing, but... do you? Can you trust them?"

"Kelly," Logan said with a humorless laugh, "I can't trust them to remember my birthday. Or if they do remember it..."

"We're not talking about cake here."

"I need to think about this."

"That's all Gustavo wants you to do."

Logan nodded and said, "Okay."

Logan leaned his back up against the nearest wall and ran his hands up into his hair.

"Your turn," Kelly said, still calm, but every bit determined to hear the truth.

"My turn for what?" Logan asked.

"What phone call?" she asked. "What was Gustavo talking about in there? What situation?"

"It's nothing, Kelly. I've got it."

"It's not nothing if Gustavo is getting phone calls about it," she insisted.

"It's... a misunderstanding. I'm taking care of it."

Kelly gave him a hard look but couldn't read him at all, not right now. The truth was she had a hard time reading Logan, period. Right now she didn't have the patience to be understanding or to fish around for the truth. She needed to know what was going on. It was her responsibility to know.

"A misunderstanding about what?"

"Kelly, please -"

"No," she said with a firm shake of her head. "I want to know. It's my job to know. To fix these kinds of things."

"It's nothing you can fix. It's nothing. Really, it's not. Just forget it and -"

"I can't," she insisted, rapidly cutting him off. "Logan, I have a right -"

"No you don't," he said, his voice harsh as he stood upright but unable to look her in the eyes. "You don't have a right to know everything. Not about me. Or my life. Or... or..." He trailed off as his face grew steadily redder either from embarrassment or anger, Kelly wasn't sure which.

After a minute or two of standing there in silence, Kelly shifted and pointed back towards where the party was still taking place.

"Do you want to go back?"

"Not really."

"I'm really not trying to pry. I honestly want to help you. Okay?"

"Okay."

"So is there anything you want to talk about... anything at all?"

He just shook his head no in response.

"Logan..."

"Can't I please just go? I promise I'll text you every ten minutes if you want, but... I really don't want to be here right now."

Kelly closed the gap between them with two quick steps and threw her arms around him, giving him a brief, but fierce hug before reaching up and kissing him on the cheek.

"Go," she said, wiping her hand across her cheek in one swift movement. "If anyone asks, I'll let them know."

"Thanks, Kelly."

She nodded again and watched as he turned and hurried down the hall to the elevators. Kelly sighed, feeling terrible, and walked slowly back to the room they'd just left. Things kept getting worse and worse, and she had the sinking feeling it was entirely her fault. There was no proof to back it up, but she couldn't escape that sense of disappointment in herself.

Once back Kelly soon saw that no one had realized yet that they'd left. Thankful for that small mercy, she sat in the nearest chair and took a good look around the room. Mrs. Knight and Mrs. Garcia were chatting together as Carlos was evidentially introducing Stephanie to his father and sister. Katie and Kendall were both sitting near Jo and her mother and they all seemed to be getting on well enough. James's brother was with them, evidentially giving Kendall a hard time about his cast. And James was with his mother who was talking with Gustavo and Dana about the tour. As her eyes passed over them, James looked her way and he at least seemed to notice Logan had left.

After a minute more of politely agreeing with his mother, he left her side and took a seat beside Kelly.

"I was wrong," he said no sooner than she'd looked his way.

"About what?"

"About Logan and Dana," he answered, fidgeting with his hands as he spoke. "And even if I wasn't, I only thought Logan was doing something wrong. I never meant that Dana -"

"I know," Kelly said, cutting him off.

"Good," James said, sitting back and relaxing. "Because I never... I wasn't trying to get anyone into trouble. I wasn't even trying to start any trouble. I'm sorry."

"I know you are," Kelly assured him. "And I'm not going to lecture you on being careful what you say and where, I'm pretty sure you've learned your lesson."

"I have."

"It could have been a lot worse."

"I'm not sure how," James admitted. "Everyone's mad at me, and they should be," he quickly added, not wanting her to think he thought they were being unfair. "I'm mad at me. I want to fix this, but...how? I can say I'm sorry till I'm blue in the face and Logan... he's not going to hear it."

"Probably not."

"So what do I do?"

"I don't know."

"What?" James asked, confused.

"I don't know," she repeated.

"Kelly, you know everything. You have to know. You have to help me."

"James," Kelly sighed, so tired she could hardly stand it any longer, "I can only tell you that sometimes sorry isn't enough."

"So... what? What..."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Kelly said, patting his shoulder as she stood up. "And if I can, I'll help you. But right now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. Today has been awful and, well, tomorrow can't be worse. Goodnight, James."


	17. Chapter 17

**Title: With A Little Help  
****Author: SLynn  
****Rating: T  
****Pairings: **Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo

**Spoilers:** None

**Disclaimer: **I don't really own these characters, I only imagine I do.

**Summary: **Summer begins with aweek in Vegas that doesn't turn out as planned, but they'll all have to make the best of it. Takes place two months after 'And So It Goes'.

**Chapter 17**

James had not wanted to stay after his brief talk with Kelly, but there was no escaping his mother. For what felt like an eternity, he stuck around, trying his best to act as if nothing was bothering him, which was increasingly harder to do given the dirty looks Kendall kept shooting his way after he'd come to realize Logan had split.

"What's wrong?"

James, momentarily startled out of his own train of thought, looked up in surprise at his older brother.

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing," Mark sighed, sitting down next to him and leaning casually against the table so that his back was to the rest of the room. "I can tell. What's going on?"

"I... I screwed up."

"And?"

"And that's it," James said with a shrug.

"Dude, if that was it then Kendall wouldn't be glaring at you from across the room. Spill."

"It's just really stupid and..."

"So what? I'm your brother. I think all your problems are stupid."

James smiled briefly at that too true statement before beginning.

"Okay, so, Logan and I got into this fight."

Mark nodded as James paused to really consider it.

"Actually," he continued, "we've been having a lot of fights."

"About what?"

"About everything. I don't know. I'm just so angry at him that it's like I can't stop myself from starting up."

"What he'd do?"

"Nothing," James admitted, albeit reluctantly. Only his brother would assume that James wasn't the cause of this mess instead of Logan. "I don't know. I just..."

"No, you know. You're just not telling me."

"He really didn't do anything but... it's his attitude. He doesn't take this seriously because he doesn't think of this as a real job. Logan doesn't act like this is something someone should want to do for the rest of their life but it's exactly what I want. To him it's like something we're doing, that he's above, and..."

"I get it," Mark said. "So, get to the part where you screwed up."

"Fine," James snapped. "Last night we got into a fight again. I started it over something that was obviously not true and it just kind of snowballed from there."

"How bad?"

"Not too bad but... Okay, yeah, it was bad. I was wrong and everyone is mad at me. I want to apologize but..."

"So do it."

"I can't just -"

"If you can't just walk up to him and say sorry, James, I don't know what to tell you."

"I can but -"

"You don't want to."

"I do want to. I do want things like they were..."

James trailed off, uncertain of his next words. He didn't want to be so angry anymore, but even now, after admitting it was his fault, James couldn't just let it go. He couldn't figure out why - what the bigger problem was.

"You want my advice?" Mark asked after a lengthy pause.

"Yeah."

"First, don't let Kendall give you crap. And don't let Carlos smooth this one over. This is obviously between you and Logan, so you two have to handle it."

"That's it?"

"I'm not done," Mark continued. "Second, grow up."

"What?"

"You heard me, James, grow up. I don't know what you're really angry about, but it isn't about Logan not taking this seriously. I know Logan and he takes everything seriously."

"I thought you were on my side."

"I am always on your side," Mark said, completely sincere, "but you are not telling me everything. Yeah, I'm sure Logan does think a lot of this is dumb and not worth his time. He can be that way. He's always been that way. I get why you'd feel like that, I do. But James, he's still here."

"But not really," James argued. "He's doing these stupid extra credit courses, which he doesn't need. Honestly, how much school can you do? And when it's not that it's Camille who he is always fighting with and he completely doesn't deserve. You'd never know she was his girlfriend, the way he acts. I'm just sick of it."

"Is that what this is really about?"

"No," James said, regretting how quickly he'd answered and how red his cheeks had begun to burn. "It's not... it's nothing like that."

Except, James knew it kind of was. At the heart of all of this was the fact that James cared a lot of Camille, a lot more than he'd ever want to admit, and it was frustrating to see how much she was obviously into to Logan and how little he seemed to return those feelings. It made no sense.

Ever since Logan and Camille had broken up and gotten back together again, Logan had begun to act differently; distant even. He didn't talk about Camille anymore, which he used to do a lot, even before they'd started dating. He didn't seem to want to spend any of his free time with her, although they did still go out sometimes on the weekends. In general, he just didn't seem like he wanted her for his girlfriend or that he even wanted a girlfriend at all.

Of course James knew he wasn't privy to exactly how their relationship worked. Knowing Camille, if she'd been unhappy about any of it, she'd have said so. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that knowing Logan, he would rather suffer silently through anything rather than speak up and potentially hurt someone's feelings. And that's exactly how James saw it. Logan was just waiting it out, and it was infuriating. How could he not want to be Camille's boyfriend? And if he didn't, how dare he string her along? She didn't deserve that.

"Listen," Mark said after another long silence between them. "Obviously, you two need to work this out. I don't know anything about Logan and this girl, Camille. Or you and Camille."

"There's nothing -"

Mark held up his hand and shrugged off his protest.

"It's not important," he continued. "What is important is that you fix it. You've been friends too long to let it end like this."

James sighed and dropped his head into his hands.

"Everyone keeps telling me to fix this like I can whip out a bandage and make it better."

"Just go talk to him. Like I said, if you can't do that, then there's probably nothing left to talk about."

James nodded and let the words sink in, knowing his brother was right. He mumbled a thanks to Mark before getting up to say goodnight to his mother and leaving for the room upstairs.

Before he got to the there, his phone rang, and to his great surprise it was Camille.

He hesitated for a moment, unsure why she'd call or what he could possibly say to her, but found that he couldn't just ignore her. Stopping in the hallway just outside of their hotel room, he answered.

"Hey, Camille."

"James," she said on the other side of the line, "I'm sorry to do this, but I have to know. What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Cut it out, James," Camille said quickly, her irritation obvious. "You know what I mean. I read the articles. I talked to Jo and Kendall and Stephanie and -"

"So what do you want me to say?"

"I just want the truth," Camille pleaded. "That's it. I finally got Logan on the phone this afternoon and..."

Her voice hitched and James thought his heart had stopped.

"What happened?" he heard himself ask, as if his brain no longer had any control over his mouth.

"He broke up with me," she managed after a long pause.

"Why? Did you guys fight? What... Camille, listen," James began, rambling on and barely coherent to his own ears, "that person, whoever wrote that, was wrong. Nothing happened."

"I know that," she agreed. "And we didn't fight or anything. It was so strange. Okay, I was mad. When I first saw it, I was, but after I talked to Jo and realized... I know Logan wouldn't do that and I know how things like this get blown out of proportion."

James nodded his head to no one as he slid down the wall, taking a seat on the floor.

"But when I talked to him," Camille continued, "he just... I don't know. I don't know what's wrong or why or anything anymore. You know, first he pulls back, like he doesn't want a serious relationship, and I'm okay with that, but then right before you guys leave he tells me he loves me and then he just breaks up with me less than a week later without any kind of reason or anything. I don't get it. I don't get it at all. What is going on? I just don't understand."

James stopped listening.

As soon as Camille had said that Logan loved her, it was as if his brain shut down. Not for one moment did James doubt what she was saying, or Logan's intent, it was just so completely the opposite of what he thought their relationship was that he was stunned.

And he saw, very clearly, that it wasn't that he'd misread what was going on between them, but that he'd wanted to.

James had wanted this thing between Logan and Camille to be insignificant because it made his own feelings for Camille easier to digest. James didn't want it to be serious but, as he knew, as his brother reminded him just half an hour before, Logan took everything seriously - why would Camille be the exception?

It was almost too much to deal with. James felt dizzy and sick and very much like he'd subconsciously, it had to be subconsciously, betrayed his friend.

"I mean, is this really it? Is this how he wants it to end? I don't know what to do. What should I do? James? James?"

James shut his eyes and slapped his free hand on the ground.

"Are you still there?"

"I am," he finally managed as he heard the distinct ring of the elevator opening at the far end of the hall.

"I shouldn't have called," Camille said with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. I just thought... You know us both and maybe... I don't know. You're his best friend and you're mine too and it's probably not fair of me to do this to you. I'm not asking you to take sides. I'm sorry. I just thought you might know why. He wouldn't even tell me why."

"No, don't be sorry," James said quickly, a grimace on his face as he slapped his hand down against the floor again, harder this time. "Let me talk to him. I'll... I need to talk to him anyway. I'm pretty sure most of this is my fault."

James opened his eyes as he felt rather than heard someone sitting down across from him. Kendall offered up a weak smile that couldn't be returned. James had never felt worse in his life; he was sure of it.

"I'm going to fix this, Camille," he continued, shutting his eyes again and resting his head against the wall. "You know Logan. Sometimes he so smart he's stupid. He was probably trying to do something noble and well..."

James let his words trail off, suddenly at a loss and completely unprepared for how much harder this was then he'd ever imagined it would be.

"And," he finally continued after clearing his throat, "you know... I know that he wouldn't want to hurt you. I'll talk to him and... you'll see. Just don't give up on him, okay? He's a good guy. He deserves someone like you."

"Thanks," she returned, her voice soft like a whisper.

"Yeah, well," James continued, his own voice loud and boisterous, as close to normal as he could make it, "the way I see it, if everyone's got a girlfriend but me then technically I get first dibs on the groupies."

She let out a laugh, and he could practically see her shaking her head and smiling.

"As long as you're doing this for the right reasons."

"You know me," he returned, momentarily locking eyes with Kendall who looked exactly as struck as James felt.

"Thanks again, James. I can't tell you how much -"

"You don't have to," he cut in quickly, not wanting to hear her thank him any longer. Not for this. This was killing him.

"Goodnight, then."

"Goodnight," he returned, hanging up the phone and waiting for whatever it was Kendall was going to say.

Kendall stared at him for a minute or more, trying to transform his thoughts into words, before ultimately coming out with, "You could have told me."

"I didn't know," James said with a shrug. "I didn't want to. I don't want..."

"Are you..." Kendall started to say, but quickly checked himself. "What are you going to do?"

"First," James said, letting out a deep breath, "I'm going to apologize to Logan. And then... I don't know. I know this is all my fault and, well, I didn't want this. Really."

"This isn't all your fault," Kendall conceded. "Yeah, you pick on Logan and took this thing way too far, but he doesn't make it easy on you, or any of us. And I shouldn't take sides. It's between the two of you and I need to learn to stay out of it. I'm sorry. I wasn't helping."

"You were trying."

"Yeah, well..." Kendall said with a shrug. "Listen -"

"I really don't want to talk about it," James interrupted, knowing where Kendall was heading.

"Well, if you do, I'm here."

"Thanks," James said, "but there's nothing to talk about. I'll... I'll get over it. I'll have to. You know, even if this break-up was real... I couldn't. He'd never forgive me. She'd never take me and I'd never... I'll get over it."

Kendall dropped his eyes and nodded briefly, knowing that he'd done the only thing he could in this situation and hoping it was enough.


End file.
